the truth about merlin
by redfox33red
Summary: the knights, merlin and a few guests watch merlin
1. Chapter 1

The knights of the round table were on patrol out at Camelot looking for the – Arthur Pendragon's – evil, half-sister, sorceress – Morgana Pendragon – she had taken over Camelot. But the group of knights currently on patrol had taken out her and her half-sister, Morgause's immortal army. They were looking for her in a village where they had heard reports of her sightings with her half-sister.

In the group was the Crown Prince– Arthur Pendragon himself. There was a knight of noble birth Sir Leon. Then there were several new knights including the king's fiancé's brother – Elyan. There was Sir Gwaine who was for once not drunk! There was the muscular, tall and ever silent Sir Percival. Lancelot who seemed almost always in competition with the Prince mainly due to the would be Queen – Guinevere – who had won the hearts of both future king and knight. Last – but definitely not least – was the servant of Prince Arthur. Merlin and Arthur whose relationship began rocky at best would rarely be seen without each other. Merlin would ride into battles with Arthur. But unbeknownst to the prince his servant had a dangerous secret which could kill him if anyone knew. Merlin or Emerys as the druids called him and he was the most powerful warlock there would ever be. He was destined – at Arthur's side – to unite Albion under one high king – Arthur Pendragon.

That was why Merlin was the first to feel the strange wind that over took them. The Prince, Knights and Merlin ended up in a strange room. It had large glass windows and soft bed like chairs. There was a strange contraption in the middle of the room.

'That would be sorcery,' said Arthur.

'I don't think so,' said Merlin not feeling any of the tingly feeling he got from magic.

'How would you know?' asked Arthur.

'Oh no reason,' said Merlin.

Lancelot looked at his magical friend who shook his head.

'Oh come on look,' said Merlin.

He went over to the strange contraption and turned it on. He then found a strange box thing saying _Merlin_ thinking it was for him he pushed it in a whole which he had a feeling would be the right size for it. With this he allowed the box to light up.

Gwen was helping Gaius with Huinith who had come to them ill when the knights and Merlin were away. She hoped that they would be back soon. Though she told herself that it was to inform Merlin about Huinith's health she knew it was also to see her handsome fiancé. That was why she was scared when a strange wind overtook them and she ended up falling into Arthur's strong arm.

'Gaius? Mother? Gwen?' Merlin said.

Gwen saw the hurt as Merlin took in his mother's haggard appearance. Merlin knelt down by the woman and she sat up looking perfectly fine again. Gwen thought that maybe she had just been missing her son. Then she heard the strange and mysterious music on the strange lighted screen.

'Magic?' she asked.

'No,' said Merlin sounding peeved. 'Come on lets see what it does,' said Lancelot

The group of friends sat to watch the black box.

_**Merlin was making his way over a sandy hill.**_

'Why does it start with Merlin?' asked Arthur disgruntled.

'Because I'm the best,' said Merlin grinning.

But he exchanged looks with Lancelot and Gaius both wondering the same; would his secret be revealed?

_**'**__**No young man, no matter how great, can know his destiny.**_

'Destiny?' said Arthur 'but your just a servant. Not that there's anything wrong with that but still…' he shut up.

_**He cannot glimpse his part in the great story that is about to unfold. Like everyone, he must live and learn. And so it will be for the young warlock**_

There were shouts from everyone except Gaius and Lancelot. They only shut up when Merlin sent up a light into the air.

'You're a sorcerer?' said Arthur hurt.

'Warlock,' corrected Merlin.

'Same thing,' said Arthur.

'Warlock's are those born with magic, sorcerer's are those who learn magic,' said Gaius quietly. 'There are many who have no choice '

'Yet we're still hunted down all the same,' sighed Merlin sadly.

'Why didn't you tell me?' asked Arthur.

'I didn't want you to make the decision between me and your father,' said Merlin. 'And as for the rest of you if I'm caught I'll burn if you know you'll burn for harbouring me.'

_**arriving at the gates of Camelot. A boy that will, in time, father the legend. His name: Merlin.'**_

_**Merlin had arrived in Camelot. Uther was addressing the crowds.**_

_**Let this serve as a lesson to all. This man, Thomas James Collins, is judged guilty of conspiring to use enchantments and magic. And, pursuant to the laws of Camelot, I, Uther Pendragon, have decreed that such practices are banned on penalty of death. I pride myself as a fair and just king, but for the crime of sorcery there is but one sentence I can pass.'**_

_**Uther then has the man beheaded.**_

'That's why you don't like to tell people the truth,' said Gwen.

'Uther is a terrifying man when you have to live with magic,' said Merlin softly.

_**'**__**When I came to this land, this kingdom was mired in chaos, but with the people's help magic was driven from the realm.**_

_**So I declare a festival to celebrate twenty years since the Great Dragon**_

_**Was captured and Camelot freed from the evil of sorcery.**_

_**Let the celebrations begin.**_

_**A woman who they all knew to be Mary Collins appeared.**_

_**'**__**There is only one evil in this land, and it is not magic! It is you!**_

Quite a few people looked like they agreed with this statement. Arthur looked uncomfortable.

_**With your hatred and your ignorance! You killed my son! But I promise you, before these celebrations are over, you will share my tears. An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a son for a son.'**_

'Magic should never be used like that,' sighed Merlin. 'It should only ever be used for good. It feels so wrong when people corrupt that which is pure,' he said sadly.

'Why do they?' asked Arthur.

'Fear and hatred,' replied Merlin.

Arthur looked confused.

'Imagine being hunted for what you were born as, watching your family being killed and living with the threat of execution hanging over you,' said Merlin. 'What would you do?'

_**'**__**Seize her!' Uther shouted.**_

_**Then Mary Collin disappears in a flash of smoke. Merlin then walks through the castle and sees the guard.**_

_**'**__**Where would I find Gaius, the- the court physician?' asked Merlin.**_

_**The guard point Merlin in his direction. Merlin knocks on the door and enters Gaius' quarters and looks around.**_

_**'**__**Hello?' Merlin calls out.**_

_**He wanders into the room.**_

_**'**__**Hello? Gaius?' calls out Merlin.**_

_**Gaius is standing on a ladder in a bookcase and he looks around then falls off the ladder. Merlin's eyes glow gold as Gaius' falls slow and a bed comes hurtling towards him which the old man lands softly on.**_

_**'**__**What did you just do?' asked Gaius.**_

'So you knew?' said Arthur hurt.

'I wasn't going to turn him in, Arthur,' said Gaius softly. 'And at that point you hadn't even met him!'

_**'**__**Erm...' said Merlin.**_

'I got better at lying,' murmured Merlin as every one laughed.

_**'**__**Tell me!' demanded the old man.**_

_**'**__**I, I, I have no idea what happened.' Merlin attempted to lie.**_

_**'**__**If anyone had seen that...' said Gaius.**_

_**'**__**Er, no! That, that was, that was nothing to do with me. That, that was...'stuttered Merlin.**_

_**'**__**I know what it was! I just want to know where you learned how to do it!' said Gaius.**_

'You see commonly even those born with magic have to learn how to do anything with it but with Merlin it seems instinctual,' murmured Gaius.

_**'**__**Nowhere,' said Merlin**_.

_**'**__**So how is it you know magic?' asked Gaius suspiciously.**_

_**'I don't.' said Merlin.**_

_**'Where did you study? Answer me!' growled Gaius.**_

'I would never have allowed him to study magic,' said Hunith. 'I didn't want to lose another one to Uther!'

Everyone was wondering what she meant loose another one to uther

_**'I, I've never studied magic or, or been taught.' Merlin said.**_

_**'Are you lying to me, boy?' said Gaius.**_

_**'What do you want me to say? 'asked Merlin desperately.**_

_**'The truth!' said Gaius.**_

_**'I was born like this!' said Merlin.**_

_**'That's impossible! Who are you?' said Gaius.**_

_**'Oh, erm...' said Merlin.**_

_**[pulls of backpack]**_

_**'**__**I have this letter.' Said Merlin.**_

_**'I, I don't have my glasses.' Said Merlin.**_

_**'I'm Merlin.' Said Merlin.**_

_**'Hunith's son?' said Gaius.**_

'Got there at last,' smirked Gwaine.

_**' Yes!' said Merlin sounding relieved.**_

_**'**__**But you're not meant to be here till Wednesday!' said Gaius.**_

_**'It is Wednesday.' Said Merlin.**_

Everyone but Gaius who looked very embarrassed laughed.

_**'Ah. Right, then. You better put your bag in there.' Said Gaius.**_

_**'**__**You, you won't say anything about, erm...' said Merlin sounding scared.**_

'You really were scared of my father,' said Arthur sadly.

_**'No. Although, Merlin, I should say thank you.' Said Gaius.**_

'Good remember you manners,' smiled Huinith.

_**Merlin looked over at Camelot.**_

'It really is very beautiful,' smiled Merlin in typical country boy way.

'im the king to be and I don't get a view as good as this' Arthur said

_**Then Huinith's voice over began. 'My dear Gaius, I turn to you for I feel lost and alone and don't know who to trust.**_

'Because of my father,' said Arthur. 'Sorry.'

'Don't be,' said Merlin. 'You're not the one who persecutes my kind. The only Pendragon I want an apology from is your father!'

_**It is every mother's fate to think her child is special, and yet I would give my life that Merlin were not so. Ours is a small village and he is so clearly at odds with people here that, if he were to remain, I fear what would become of him.**_

'So you send him to where Uther is!' asked Gwen.

**He needs a hand to hold, a voice to guide, someone that might help him find a purpose for his gifts.**

'Did you?' asked Leon.

'Oh yes,' said Merlin

_**I beg you, if you understand a mother's love for her son, keep him safe, and may God save you both.'**_

_**The scene cut to Morgana and Uther.**_

There were growls from everyone but Merlin and Gwen who sighed sadly.

_**'**__**Morgana.' Asks Uther.**_

_**'Yes?' she says.**_

_**'What is it? Why are you not joining us at the feast?' asks the king.**_

_**'I just don't think chopping someone's head off is cause for celebration.**_

'She has a point,' said Merlin.

_**That poor mother.'**_

'Yeah I don't know what I would do if Merlin were executed,' said Huinith softly.

_**'It was simple justice for what he'd done.' Said Uther coldly.**_

_**'To whom? He practiced some magic, he didn't hurt anyone.' Said Morgana.**_

Merlin nodded.

_**'You were not around twenty years ago, you have no idea what it was like.' Said Uther.**_

Merlin snarled knowing that it was because of him giving Ygraine's life away that this was happening.

_**'How long are you going to keep punishing people for what happened then?' asked Morgana.**_

_**'Until they realise there is no room for magic in my kingdom!**_

'You can't stop it,' said Gaius. 'If magic ended the whole world would die without it there to keep order.'

**You will be with me when I greet Lady Helen.'**

**'I told you! I want no part in these celebrations!' said Morgana.**

**'I'm your guardian! I expect you to do as I ask. If you show me no respect at least respect our finest singer'**

**'You know, the more brutal you are, the more enemies you will create!' said Morgana.**

'Which is part of why Morgana is so evil,' said Merlin pain and guilt in his voice.

_**The scene cut to Lady Helen's campsite where Lady Helen was humming.**_

_**'**__**Hello? Gregory?' she greets her guard.**_

_**'Lady Helen.' Says Gregory.**_

_**'Is all well?' the Lady asks.**_

_**'Yes, ma'am. With luck, we should reach Camelot late tomorrow.' Says Gregory.**_

_**'That's good.' Said Lady Helen.**_

_**'**__**I'll be outside if you need me.' the guard informs his lady.**_

_**Gregory draws his sword.**_

_**'**__**Who's there? Who's there?' the guard calls out.**_

**'Akwele seo magdp. Akwele seo magdp. Akwele seo magdp.'** _**Mary Collins curses the voodoo doll. She then stabs it where Lady Helen dies.**_

**'****Ghefrolinz grimpoxin kouata.**_**' She chants another spell. And turns into Lady Helen.**_

'Can you do that?' Arthur asked Merlin.

'I've never tried,' said Merlin delicately. 'But I can change my appearance.'

_**A voice called, 'Merlin! Merlin!'**_

'Who was that?' asked Arthur impatiently.

'You'll see,' said Merlin mysteriously.

Gaius who guessed it was the great dragon laughed and everyone else groaned.

_**Merlin wakes up and enters Gaius' chambers.**_

_**'**__**I got you water. You didn't wash last night.' Said Gaius.**_

_**'Sorry.' Said Merlin.**_

_**'Help yourself to breakfast.' Said Gaius.**_

_**Merlin sits down with Gaius to some water porridge.**_

'Is that what you eat?' said Arthur in disgust.

'Well not all of us have been brought up like a pig,' said Merlin with a cheeky glint in his eyes.

_**Gaius waited till Merlin had sat down then he knocked a jug of water over. Merlin instinctively caught it with his eyes flashing golden. Before he let it go and it splashed all over the floor.**_

'You really had no choice in the matter,' frowned Leon realising that it was wrong of the king to execute people in possession of magic.

'No,' said Merlin. 'I never had a choice!'

_**'**__**How did you do that? Did you incant a spell in your mind.' Asked Gaius.**_

'I wish it were that simple,' murmured Merlin.

_**'I don't know any spells.' Said Merlin.**_

_**'So what did you do? There must be something.' Said Gaius.**_

_**'It just happens.' Said Merlin.**_

_**Merlin began to clear up the mess.**_

_**'**__**Well, we better keep you out of trouble. You can help me until I find some paid work for you.**_

'I found it myself,' smirked Merlin, 'as was my destiny!'

'How is being a servant your destiny?' asked Arthur.

'You'll see,' said Merlin eyes glinting mysteriously.

_**Here.' Said Gaius.**_

_**Gaius placed a small bottle and a sac on the table.**_

_**'**__**Hollyhock and Feverfew for Lady Percival, and this is for Sir Olwin. He's as blind as a weevil, so warn him not to take it all at once.'**_

Merlin could have groaned knowing that this would come true.

_**'Okay,' said Merlin.**_

_**'And here.' Said Gaius placing a sandwich on the table.**_

'Is that all you have for lunch?' said an affronted Arthur.

'Is he going to say that Everytime?' asked Gwaine.

'I think so,' smiled Percival.

_**'**__**Off you go. And Merlin! I need hardly tell you that the practice of any form of enchantments will get you killed.' Said Gaius grimly.**_

'I'm going to change that,' said Arthur.

'Thank you,' smiled Merlin.

_**Merlin eats as he walks to Sir Olwin's quarters. He knocks on the door and old, blind, squinty Sir Olwin answers.**_

_**'**__**Erm, I brought you your medicine,' said Merlin.**_

_**Sir Olwin pops the cork and begins drinking.**_

_**'**__**Oh, and Gaius said don't drink it all at...' said Merlin too late.**_

_**'**__**I'm sure it's fine.' Said Merlin.**_

'Merlin, didn't he die later that week' ' said Gaius.

'He old' said Merlin.

'That's not the point,' said Gaius.

'Oh come on I'm about to meet His Prattiness,' said Merlin.

Arthur rolled his eyes at the warlock.

_**Merlin is now crossing the training ground where he comes across Arthur bullying his current servant.**_

Arthur grimaced, 'it looks really bad from here.'

'You were really bad,' said Gwen. 'But Merlin changed that!'

'I think you did too,' added Arthur.

Gwen shrugged, 'I barely recognize you,' said Percival.

'I was an idiot at that time,' said Arthur.

'You were a child,' said Gaius.

'Thanks,' said Arthur.

'You'll always be a prat to me,' grinned Merlin.

'Some things never change,' laughed sir Leon.

_**'**__**Where's the target?' mocked Arthur.**_

_**Arthur's gang laughed at the prince.**_

Sir Leon and Arthur looked awkward.

'You were there too,' said Percival.

_**'**__**There, Sir?' said Morris.**_

'Never bait Arthur,' said Merlin.

'What am I an animal?' asked Arthur.

'Sometimes I wonder,' said merlin laughing.

_**'**__**It's into the sun?' said Arthur.**_

_**'But, it's not that bright.' Said Morris.**_

_**'A bit like you, then?' retorted Arthur cruelly.**_

_**'**__**I'll put the target on the other end, shall I, Sir?' said Morris.**_

_**Morris begins to carry the target to the other side of the training ground.**_

_**'**__**Teach him a lesson. Go on, boy.' growled the knight called Sir Jamieson.**_

_**'This'll teach him.' said Arthur.**_

'Arthur!' said Gwen angrily.

_**Yeah.' Encouraged Sir Amos.**_

_**'He he. Teach him a lesson.' Laughed Sir Jamieson.**_

_**Arthur throws a dagger at the target the servant was still carrying.**_

In the room everyone was glaring at the prince.

_**'**__**Hey! Hang on!' said Morris.**_

'Stick up for yourself,' cheered Gwen.

_**'Don't stop!' laughed Arthur.**_

_**Morris takes a few steps back.**_

_**'**__**Here?' asked Morris.**_

_**Gwen opens an upper window and shakes a rug frowning as she watches Arthur bullying the serving boy.**_

Arthur groaned, 'you would have to see that he said!'

'I don't know why my sister has fallen for you,' Elyan shook his head.

'Well you know what they say love works in mysterious ways,' laughed Merlin. Elyan looked awkward, and the engaged couple blushed.

_**'**__**I told you to keep moving!' called out Arthur.**_

'Prat,' said Merlin.

_**Arthur threw another dagger.**_

_**'**__**Come on! Run!' calls Arthur.**_

_**Morris shuffles along trying to carry the large board of wood and Arthur throws more daggers.**_

_**'**__**Do you want some moving target practice?' asks Arthur.**_

_**Morris drops the target which rolls to Merlin's feet. Merlin puts a foot on it so Morris can't pick it up.**_

'Why did you do that?' asked Elyan.

'So i could put a stop to Arthur's bullying ways,' said merlin and Gaius rolled his eyes.

'Hey I'm not the one marrying him,' said Elyan.

Merlin laughed, 'sorry bad image.'

_**'**__**Hey, come on, that's enough.' Said Merlin**_

_**'What?' said arthur.**_

'Ah is the Princess deaf?' laughed Gwaine.

'Nah just stupid,' grinned Merlin making the cushion the prince threw at him levitate. 'Wish I could have done that before,' laughed Merlin.

'Uther would have you executed,' reminded Gaius.

'too True,' said Merlin.

_**'You've had your fun, my friend.' Said Merlin.**_

_**'Do I know you?' asked Arthur coming towards Merlin.**_

_**'Er, I'm Merlin,' responded Merlin holding out a hand to Arthur for the prince to take.**_

_**'**__**So I don't know you.' Arthur stated.**_

'The Princess' a genius!' laughed Gwaine.

_**'No.' admitted Merlin.**_

_**'**__**Yet you called me "friend."' Arthur said.**_

_**'That was my mistake,' agreed Merlin.**_

_**'Yes, I think so,' Arthur thinking that things were going his way.**_

_**'**__**Yeah. I'd never have a friend who could be such an as,' said Merlin.**_

_**Merlin starts walking away.**_

_**Arthur snorts, **__**'**__**or I one who could be so stupid.'**_

'Did you two really start arguing from the day you first met?' snorted Lancelot.

'Yes,' laughed Gwen and Sir Leon.

Arthur and Merlin just shrugged and Gaius rolled his eyes.

_**Merlin stops walking.**_

'Uh oh you've angered the Great Merlin!' laughed Gwaine.

'That's not funny,' said Merlin.

Gaius, Lancelot and Merlin shared a look.

_**'**__**Tell me, Merlin, do you know how to walk on your knees?' asked Arthur.**_

_**'No.' said Merlin.**_

_**Would you like me to help you?' asked Arthur.**_

_**'**__**I wouldn't if I were you,' retorted Merlin in a threatening voice.**_

'Threatening the princess are we now?' laughed Gwaine.

'He could take any of us easily,' said Lancelot quietly.

'Yup I remember when I was three I accidentally set the house,' said Merlin.

'Merlin gave a whole other name to terrible threes,' smile Huinith.

'I don't know why you put up with me,' said Merlin quietly.

'You're my son,' said Huinith with a smile.

_**Arthur laughed,**_

'I seem a bit of a fool now,' grimaced Arthur.

'That's cause you are,' said Merlin a cheeky glint in his eyes.

_**'**__**Why? What are you going to do to me?' asked the arrogant Prince.**_

_**'You have no idea,' said Merlin in a mysterious voice.**_

_**'Be my guest! Come on! Come on! Come oooooon.' Arthur said.**_

_**Merlin looks and just takes a swing at him.**_

'Couldn't do magic in front of you all,' said Merlin sadly.

_**Arthur twists Merlin's arm behind his back.**_

'Whoa,' said Sir Leon.

Gwen cringes at Merlin's position.

_**'**__**I'll have you thrown in jail for that,' said Arthur.**_

_**'What, who do you think you are? The King?' asked Merlin.**_

'You really had no idea who he was, did you?' asked Sir Leon.

'No,' said Merlin.

'Still brave to take on a group of knights,' said Lancelot.

'True,' said Percival.

_**'No. I'm his son, Arthur.' Arthur responded.**_

_**Arthur takes Merlin out at the knees. Merlin is escorted down to the cells by guards.**_

_**Mary Collins disguised as the beautiful Lady Helen crosses the drawbridge and enter Camelot.**_

'Nowadays I would be able to sense some new magic coming to Camelot,' said Merlin quietly.

'Can they sense you?' asked Arthur.

'No too powerful for them to even comprehend,' said Merlin.

Arthur raised an eyebrow, 'and you call me cocky!'

'It's the truth,' was all Merlin said.

_**Mary Collins' true reflection appears in the puddle.**_

'Why does that happen?' asked Arthur.

'In the reflective surfaces have been used for scrying, or telling the future because you cannot hide anything in the reflection. They are the truth even if you hide. That is why when I change my appearance I avoid all reflective surfaces,' said Merlin.

'When have you changed your appearance?' asked Percival.

All Merlin did was smile.

_**Mary Collins enters the throne room to where Uther and some of his court members are currently.**_

_**'**__**Lady Helen. Thank you so much for coming to sing at our celebrations,' said Uther graciously.**_

Merlin glared at the box where the tyrant was celebrating killing an innocent sorcerer.

_**'The pleasure's all mine,' said Mary Collins.**_

_**'How was your journey?' asked Uther.**_

_**Mary Collins faked a sigh, 'Oh, the time it took, Sire.' She said softly.**_

_**Uther took one of her hands and kissed it, 'Well, it's always worth the wait.'**_

_**'It will be,' said Mary Collins obviously thinking of her plot to kill Arthur.**_

'She's not talking about her singing,' said Percival.

'Well she sort of is,' said Merlin.

_**Merlin is in his cell sleeping on the straw floor.**_

_**'**__**Merlin, Merlin,' the mysterious voice calls.**_

_**Merlin wakes and hears the voice coming from the floor underneath him jumps up away from the voice calling to him.**_

_**'**__**Merlin,' the voice calls again.**_

_**Merlin moves towards the floor putting his head close to ground to see what the voice was.**_

_**'**__**Merlin,' said Gaius in surprise.**_

'Well you did look a bit of an idiot like that,' said Gaius.

'When doesn't he?' laughed Arthur.

_**Merlin fake pouted but a smile was playing on his lips.**_

_**The cell door opens and Gaius steps in leaving the guards behind him.**_

_**Gaius sighed at his young ward, 'You never cease to amaze me! The one thing that someone like you should do is keep your head down, and what do you do? You behave like an idiot.'**_

'What do you expect?' said Arthur, 'it's Merlin.'

'Oh don't blame him he's just a country boy,' said Percival.

_**'I'm sorry,' said Merlin.**_

_**'You're lucky. I managed to pull a few strings to get you released,' said Gaius.**_

_**'Oh, thank you! Thank you!' Merlin all but shouted enthusiastically.**_

_**Gaius frowns at Merlin for his excitement.**_

'You really were so naïve and innocent back then,' said Gaius sadly.

_**'**__**I won't forget this.' Merlin vowed.**_

_**'Well, there is a small price to pay,' said Gaius an evil glint in his eyes.**_

'How Merlin managed to inherit that look off you I don't know, Uncle,' smiled Huinith.

_**Merlin is now in the stocks being pelted by fruit and looking like he was thoroughly enjoying himself.**_

'Only Merlin could find being in the stocks fun,' Huinith rolled her eyes.

Well if merlin finds being in th stocks fun who are we to deprive him of his enjoyment arthur states

_**'**__**Oh, no,' said Merlin his statement at odds with the way he was beaming at the town children.**_

_**Gaius laughs at the boy.**_

'Thanks,' Merlin rolls his eyes at his Great Uncle.

_**The children leave and Gwen approaches Merlin.**_

_**'**__**I'm Guinevere, but most people call me Gwen. I'm the Lady Morgana's maid,' said Gwen.**_

_**'Right. I'm Merlin.' Merlin introduced himself by doing his best whilst in the stocks to shake hands with the once and future queen. Although, most people just call me Idiot.'**_

'You said it,' said Arthur.

_**'No, no, no. I saw what you did. It was so brave,' said Gwen.**_

Arthur glared at Merlin.

_**'It was stupid,' said Merlin.**_

'Yet you did it again,' said Arthur.

Merlin shrugged.

_**'Well, I'm glad you walked away. You weren't going to beat him.' said Gwen.**_

'Not without magic which would get you executed,' said Gaius.

'If they could catch me,' grinned Merlin.

_**Merlin snorted, 'Oh, I...I can beat him.' said Merlin confidently**_.

'Well I could,' said Merlin.

_**'You think? Because you don't look like one of these big, muscle-y kind of fellows,' said Gwen.**_

_**'Thanks,' said Merlin.**_

_**'**__**No! No, I'm sure you're stronger than you look. It's just, erm...Arthur's one of these real rough, tough, save the world kind of men, and...well...' Gwen trailed off.**_

'I've saved Camelot more times than I care to remember!' stated Merlin.

_**'What?' Merlin demanded.**_

_**'You don't look like that.' Gwen said.**_

_**Merlin motions for Gwen to move closer to him where he whispers, 'I'm in disguise.'**_

'Well its true,' said Merlin.

_**Gwen laughs, 'Well, it's great you stood up to him.'**_

_**'What? You think so?' asks Merlin sounding pleased.**_

Arthur and Elyan glared at the warlock, 'got a crush on my sister have you!'

'What Gwen – but she's Gwen,' said Merlin looking completely confused.

'Girls really aren't Merlin's thing,' said Gwaine.

Merlin winced thinking of Freya.

'What's up?' asked Arthur noticing Merlin's reaction.

Merlin shook his head.

_**'Arthur's a bully, and everyone thought you were a real hero,' said Gwen.**_

_**'Oh, yeah?' merlin sounding pleased.**_

_**Gwen nods, 'Mm-hmm.'**_

_**The children re-approach with more rotten fruit.**_

_**'**__**Oh, excuse me, Guinevere. My fans are waiting.' Merlin laughs and Gwen moves away before she too gets pelted with fruit.**_

_**Merlin is now back in Gaius' chambers where he sits down to eat.**_

_**'**__**Do you want some vegetables with that?' asks Gaius.**_

'That's exactly what Merlin would say,' said Arthur.

_**Merlin snorts, 'I know you're still angry with me.**__**'**_

'Really?' said Arthur sarcastically.

_**'Your mother asked me to look after you,' said Gaius.**_

'That did not include having him pelted with fruit, Uncle,' Huinith glared at the man.

_**'Yes.' Said Merlin interested.**_

_**'What did your mother say to you about your gifts?' asked the old man.**_

_**'That I was special.' Was all Merlin said.**_

_**'You are special. The likes of which I have never seen before,' agreed Gaius.**_

_**'What do you mean?' asked Merlin looking like Gaius had all the answers.**_

_**'Well, magic requires incantations, spells. It takes years to study. What I saw you do was...elemental, instinctive,' said Gaius.**_

'That's because Merlin is a creature of the old religion rather than a magic user,' said Gaius quietly.

_**'What's the point if it can't be used?' said Merlin frustrated.**_

_**'That I do not know. You are a question that has never been posed before, Merlin,' said Gaius.**_

'A very dangerous one for you,' said Huinith sadly.

_**'**__**Did you ever study magic?' asked Merlin.**_

'You really are very sharp minded,' said Leon.

_**'**__**Uther banned all such work twenty years ago,' said Gaius.**_

_**'Why?' asked Merlin.**_

_**'People used magic for the wrong end at that time.**_

Merlin and Gaius' eyes met knowing that this was untrue.

_**It threw the natural order into chaos. Uther made it his mission to destroy everything from back then, even the dragons.'**_

_**'**__**What? All of them?' asked Merlin shocked.**_

_**'There was one dragon he chose not to kill, kept it as an example. He imprisoned it in a cave deep beneath the castle where no one can free it.**_

'Someone did,' said Arthur.

Merlin shifted uneasily.

'You have to feel sorry for it,' said Gwaine. 'Being caged like that it would drive me crazy!'

'I never thought of it like that,' frowned Arthur.

'That is exactly your problem Arthur,' said Merlin. 'You never see it our way. You see us all as evil sorcerers! You never see us as what we are. We're treated worse than animals. I wasn't even one when I started doing magic – was I supposed to die then, or maybe it was when I was three and accidentally set fire to the house, or maybe when I was five and saved my mother's life. When exactly was I supposed to die?'

'I don't know,' said Arthur.

'You hunt us, killing children, women and men. We leave with the threat of the pyre every single day. We watch our families and friends slaughtered by your father. They'll torture and kill us! Is it any wonder that there are many who become so cold and broken on the inside? They feel if they don't stand up for themselves nothing will ever change.'

'No,' said Sir Leon finally understanding why there was so many evil sorcerers.

'Do you think your sword is evil?' asked Merlin.

'No – I save lives with it,' said Arthur.

'I save lives with magic,' said Merlin softly. 'Yet if you wanted to you could kill a child with a sword! That would be evil! It's not the possession of magic that makes you evil but the choices you make!'

Arthur nodded understanding.

_**Now, eat up. When you've finished, I need you to take a preparation to Lady Helen.**_

'Or Mary Collins,' said Gwaine into the tense silence that had followed Merlin's lecture.

_**She needs it for her voice.' Gaius explained to Merlin.**_

_**Merlin is walking up the balcony corridor where he enters Lady Helen's chambers.**_

'You should have knocked she could be changing or anything!' said Arthur.

Gwen and Merlin exchanged a look.

_**Merlin puts the potion bottle down on the table and notices a special book. Lady Helen walks in and Merlin tries to cover the evidence that he had been snooping up.**_

_**'**__**What are you doing here?' asked Mary Collins looking like an unimpressed lady.**_

_**'**__**An...I, I was asked to deliver this,' said Merlin quickly picking the bottle up from the table and showing "Lady Helen" it.**_

_**They see Mary's reflection on the half covered mirror behind him. Merlin hands her the little bottle and quickly exits the room.**_

_**Merlin is walking across the lower town where he passes Arthur and his gang of knights.**_

Sir Leon, Merlin and Arthur looked awkward.

_**'**__**How's your knee-walking coming along?' asked Arthur.**_

_**Merlin keeps walking on.**_

'Good,' said Huinith, 'don't respond to him.'

Merlin didn't look at his mother.

_**'**__**Aw, don't run away!' laughed Arthur.**_

'Just bate a powerful sorcerer don't you?' Gwaine rolled his eyes.

'I didn't know,' reminded Arthur.

_**Merlin stops.**_

_**Arthur sighs, 'Thank God. I thought you were deaf as well as dumb.'**_

_**'**__**Look, I've told you you're an ass,' said Merlin turning to face the prince. 'I just didn't realise you were a royal one. Oh, what are you going to do? Get your daddy's men to protect you?'**_

_**Arthur laughs 'I could take you apart with one blow.'**_

_**'I could take you apart with less than that' said Merlin.**_

'You really could, couldn't you?' said Arthur.

'If I wished,' said Merlin nochantaly.

_**'**__**Are you sure?' asked Arthur.**_

_**'Come on, then,' Sir Jamieson.**_

_**'Fight,' cheered Sir Amos.**_

_**Merlin takes off his jacket and Arthur laughs.**_

'Exactly how would taking your jacket off help?' asked Elyan amused.

'Wouldn't get dirty,' replied Merlin.

_**'**__**...toying with him, then!' said Sir Nigel.**_

_**'Here you go,' said Arthur.**_

_**Sir Frederick handed Arthur a mace which he threw at Merlin which he promptly dropped.**_

_**'I've never met anyone who drops more things than you,' said Arthur.**_

'I never learnt to catch things physically when I could just use magic,' shrugged Merlin.

_**Merlin picks up and Arthur professionally swing his mace around his head showing his superior skill.**_

'I'll never understand how you almost beat me,' complained Arthur. 'Everything seemed to go wrong; it was like things moved into my way.'

Merlin avoided Arthur's eyes knowing he had cheated with magic.

_**'**__**That a way,' cheered Sir Amos.**_

_**'Come on, then. I warn you, I've been trained to kill since birth,' said Arthur.**_

_**'Wow, and how long have you been training to be a prat?' asked Merlin cheekily.**_

_**Arthur snorted, 'You can't address me like that.'**_

_**'I'm sorry. H-How long have you been training to be a prat, My Lord?' he asked with an annoying fake bow.**_

_**Arthur began swinging the mace with vigour an annoyed expression on his face.**_

_**'**__**Come on then, Merlin! Come on!' jeered Arthur.**_

'You're really asking for trouble,' said Percival softly.

_**Arthur is backing Merlin into the market stalls as a large crowd gathers. Gaius who is in his chambers sees the crowd and looks and realised Merlin – once again – is in trouble. Merlin falls over.**_

_**Arthur laughs, 'You're in trouble now.'**_

'Oh God,' moans Merlin.

'How did you get out of there?' asked Gwaine.

Merlin just smiled mysteriously with a slightly guilty look on his face.

_**Merlin looks desperately around then seeing some large hooks (his eyes glowing liquid gold) magically entangles Arthur's mace around them.**_

'You used magic on me!' Arthur screeched.

'Technically I only used them on your mace,' said Merlin.

'MERLIN!' shouted Arthur.

'Yes Arthur,' said Merlin meekly.

'Shut up,' said Arthur.

'Yes, sire,' said merlin in fake respect.

_**As soon as Arthur has untangled his mace he comes back for another attack. Once again Merlin's eyes glow gold and a box moves in front of Arthur who stubs his toe on the box.**_

'Merlin!' shouted Arthur.

_**'**__**OW! Argh!' yelled the Prince.**_

_**Arthur is pursuing Merlin again. Merlin's eyes glow golden forcing a rope under Arthur's feet to tighten making Arthur trip up.**_

Arthur growled wanting to do something to his friend but having a strange feeling that it would be a very bad idea to attack the warlok.

_**Merlin picks up the mace and begins waving it at Arthur.**_

_**'**__**Do you want to give up?' Merlin shouts.**_

_**'To you?' Arthur is shocked a mere servant can beat him.**_

_**'Do you? Do you want to give up?' Merlin repeats.**_

_**Arthur is moving away from the mace and catches his foot in a bucket and falls over. Merlin then spots Gaius and looks away from the fight.**_

'Never allow yourself to be distracted,' said Lancelot.

_**Arthur takes the moment of Merlin's distraction to knock his opponent over with a broom. Arthur's guards begin to pick Merlin up but Arthur stops them.**_

_**'**__**Wait. Let him go. He may be an idiot, but he's a brave one.**_

'And that was the beginning of a beautiful friendship,' sighed Gwaine.

'Shut up,' Arthur and merlin said.

Gwaine suddenly found himself on the floor with a smirking Merlin just looking at him.

_**There's something about you, Merlin. I can't quite put my finger on it.'**_

'Magic,' suggested Gwaine.

'Obviously,' Arthur rolled his eyes.

_**Merlin seemed to be trying to avoid Arthur's gaze hoping he wouldn't guess the truth.**_

_**The scene cut to Gaius' chambers where Merlin and Gaius are sitting. Gaius is giving Merlin another lecture.**_

_**'**__**How could you be so foolish?' shouted the physician.**_

'He's Merlin,' said Arthur.

_**'He needed to be taught a lesson,' said Merlin.**_

'I agree,' said Gwen, 'but not at risk to your own life!'

_**'**__**Magic must be studied, mastered, and used for good! Not for idiotic pranks!' scolded Gaius.**_

_**'What is there to master? I could move objects like that before I could talk!' said Merlin.**_

_**'Then, by now, you should know how to control yourself!' said Gaius.**_

_**'I don't want to! If I can't use magic, what have I got? I'm just a nobody, and I always will be. If I can't use magic, I might as well die,' said Merlin.**_

'But that's the same for everybody,' said Gwen.

'But I was born with magic; it's all I know. Without it I don't know how I would live,' said Merlin.

'You couldn't,' said Gaius. 'It's in your soul and blood if your magic was taken it would kill you!'

_**Merlin goes to his bedchamber. Gaius follows the boy up with a basket of medical supplies.**_

_**Gaius sighs, 'Merlin? Sit up. Take your shirt off.' He instructs.**_

_**Merlin removed his shirt revealing the bruises from the fight.**_

Arthur receives glares from the knights, Gwen and Huinith. 'I didn't realise that I had hurt you,' said Arthur in an almost apology.

'What did you expect?' said Elyan sharply.

'Don't worry I forgive you,' said Merlin.

_**'**__**You don't know why I was born like this, do you?' asked Merlin softly.**_

_**'No.' admitted Gaius.**_

_**Gaius is attending to Merlin's wounds.**_

_**'**__**I'm not a monster, am I?' asked Merlin softly.**_

Everyone gasped and Huinith sighed sadly.

'You don't believe that do you?' asked Arthur in shock.

'Not anymore,' said Merlin.

'Why did you?' asked Gwen.

'Imagine growing up your whole life listening to the propaganda that all your kind are evil, murderous bastards who take pleasure in pain. Would you believe it?' asked Merlin.

'Yes,' said Sir Leon softly.

'A self-profiling prophecy,' said Sir Percival.

'What?' asked Arthur.

'He means that they're told their evil, they believe it, so do what they are told they are,' said Gaius sadly.

Arthur nodded feeling angry at his father's actions.

_**Gaius looks Merlin directly in the eye, 'Don't ever think that.' He said**__**.**_

'Thanks,' said Huinith. 'I was struggling with that my whole life!'

Arthur winced knowing that it was his father's actions that lead merlin to believe that.

_**'Then why am I like this? Please, I need to know why.' Merlin needed the truth.**_

'Did you ever find out?' asked Arthur.

'Oh yes,' said Merlin.

_**'Maybe there's someone with more knowledge than me,' said Gaius.**_

'Many,' murmured Gaius.

_**'If you can't tell me, no one can,' said Merlin.**_

_**'I'm glad you have such faith in me,' said Gaius. 'False as it may be!'**_

_**Gaius pours a potion into a tiny cup. 'Take this it will help with the pain.'**_

Arthur received glares and winced thinking how he hurt his best friend even if he hated him at the time .

_**Uther and Mary Collins who Uther thought was Lady Helen were dining together.**_

_**'**__**Will you sing for me tonight?' asked Uther.**_

_**'You will have to wait, Sire.' The sorceress replied.**_

_**'You will not deny me.' said Uther.**_

_**'I am saving myself for my performance tomorrow. Will everyone be there?' she asked.**_

_**'Who would dare to miss it?' said Uther.**_

Arthur frowned feeling that Uther was far too much of a tyrant at times.

_**'**__**How about your son?' asked Mary Collins.**_

_**'Well...' Uther trailed off.**_

_**'**__**It seems a shame not to have met him.' the witch faked sadness.**_

'She really seems to want to kill me,' said Arthur sadly.

'She has become obsessed with revenge due to the pain in her heart it's the only way she can deal with it!' said Huinith.

'How do you know?' asked Arthur.

'I felt the same way once, until Merlin,' admitted Merlin's mother.

_**'That's Arthur,' said Uther.**_

'Thanks dad,' muttered Arthur.

_**'Poor child.' said Mary Collins.**_

'You really hate evil sorcerers,' said Arthur.

'I pity them,' said Merlin. 'I want to save them from themselves.'

_**'**__**Hmm?' said the confused king.**_

_**'**__**Poor child. It can't have been easy to, to grow up without a mother,' said the witch.**_

Arthur winced, 'at least you had a father,' said Merlin softly.

_**'No.' said Uther.**_

_**'Hmm. That bond between mother and son, it's so hard to replace,' said Mary.**_

'We never got the chance to make a bond,' said Arthur.

_**'Hasn't been easy,' agreed Uther.**_

'For either of you,' said Gaius softly.

Merlin found he couldn't pity Uther too much; it was really his own fault!

_**'I'm sure,' smiled Mary Collins.**_

_**Uther smiles back at her.**_

_**'**__**Perhaps if you found someone...If you remarried.**_

Merlin grinned thinking of the troll, 'look how well that turned out!' he said.

_**I'm sure you'd have the pick of any maiden in the kingdom.'**_

_**'Well, perhaps I'll find love again.**_

Merlin snorted thinking of the troll, 'Merlin!' Arthur said knowing what Merlin was thinking off.

'Oh right, sorry, Arthur,' laughed Merlin.

_**But I'm afraid it's too late to replace Arthur's mother.' sighed Uther.**_

_**'**__**Yes. It's certainly too late for Arthur,' agreed the woman who would try and kill the prince.**_

'It's so obvious coming from here,' said Merlin.

_**Later on that night Merlin was lying awake in his bed.**_

_**'**__**Merlin, Merlin,' the voice was back again.**_

_**Merlin jumps out of bed and leaves Gaius' quarters. He runs across the square.**_

_**'**__**Merlin,' the voice continued to intone.**_

_**Merlin follows it descending down the stairs. He magically distracts the guards by rolling their dice away from them.**_

Arthur was not impressed, 'no wonder we have so many escapees with the guards so easily distracted,' he said.

_**Merlin grabs a torch and descends down the stairway.**_

_**'**__**Merlin, Merlin,' the voice continues to shout.**_

_**Merlin enters the cave.**_

Arthur's eyes widened, 'I know what that is!' he said. 'Merlin did you have anything to do with the dragon's escape.'

'Sorry Arthur I didn't know he was going to go on a rampage and have you ever thought that maybe he was angry because his whole species had been slaughtered; children, wife, everyone. I'm not defending what Kilgharrah did but I am explaining that he a reason!'

Arthur glared at Merlin some more.

'Kilgharrah?' asked Percival.

'The great dragon's name,' replied Merlin.

_**'**__**Merlin,' called the Great Dragon..**_

_**Merlin looked around for the source of the voice.**_

_**'**__**Where are you?' Merlin calls out.**_

_**The Great Dragon landed in front of Merlin.**_

_**'**__**I'm here. How small you are for such a great destiny,' said Kilgharrah.**_

'And we're back to Merlin's destiny,' said Gwaine.

Merlin was watching Arthur for his reaction.

_**'Why? What do you mean? What destiny?' asked Merlin.**_

_**'Your gift, Merlin, was given to you for a reason,' responded the Great Dragon.**_

_**'So there is a reason?' asked Merlin.**_

_**'Arthur is the Once and Future King who will unite the land of Albion,' responded Kilgharrah.**_

'What?' shouted Arthur.

'You'll unite the land of Albion,' said Merlin calmly.

'Got that part,' said Arthur shakily.

'Do you see why I didn't tell you,' said Merlin.

'I'm glad you didn't,' agreed Arthur.

'It's very stressful,' nodded Merlin.

'So what does it mean by "The Once and Future King"?' asked Arthur.

'The name from the prophecies,' said Merlin.

'There are prophecies?' asked Arthur.

'About us – yes,' said Merlin softly.

'Why didn't you tell me,' said Arthur.

'Apart from the fact that it's a huge weight I couldn't; part of the prophecy says "Emerys dicere verum ignis et grando non erit, glacies, spiritus procellarum, quæ millennii novissima" or "Emrys tells the truth there will be a hail of fire and ice, storms that will last a millenium".

'Oh,' said Arthur.

_**'Right,' Said Merlin awkwardly.**_

_**'**__**But he faces many threats from friend**_

'Morgana,' said Merlin. 'I didn't realise till now.'

Arthur nodded sadly.

_**and foe alike,' said Kilgharrah.**_

_**'I don't see what this has to do with me,' said Merlin.**_

_**'Everything. Without you, Arthur will never succeed. Without you, there will be no Albion,' said Kilgharrah.**_

'Really?' asked Gwen.

'Yeah,' said Merlin softly.

_**'No. No, you've got this wrong,' said Merlin.**_

Gaius raised his eyebrows, 'well we did hate each other and suddenly I was told that we would unite the whole of Albion.'

_**'There is no right or wrong, only what is and what isn't.' he said wisely.**_

'I think this is where you get a lot of your wisdom from,' said Arthur.

_**'But I'm serious! If anyone wants to go and kill him, they can go ahead. In fact, I'll give them a hand,' said Merlin.**_

'Oi,' said Arthur.

'Sorry,' said Merlin.

'That's treason,' said Sir Leon.

'I was born committing treason,' retorted Merlin.

_**Kilgharrah laughed, 'none of us can choose our destiny, Merlin, and none of us can escape it.'**_

'This is why you understood so much about my destiny to become king,' said Arthur.

Merlin nodded, 'I share your destiny but without the perks.'

_**'No. No way. No. No. There must be another Arthur because this one's an idiot,' said Merlin.**_

'You changed that,' said Gwen.

_**'Perhaps it's your destiny to change that,' said Kilgharrah.**_

'Is it weird that your future wife is sounding like a talking dragon?' asked Gwaine.

'All dragons talk,' said Merlin.

'I didn't kill him did I?' asked Arthur.

'No you didn't,' said Merlin.

_**The dragon flies off.**_

'I hate it when Kilgharrah does that,' murmured Merlin.

_**'**__**Wait! Wait! Wait, stop! No, I, I need to know more!' Merlin shouts after the dragon.**_

_**The next morning Gaius enters Merlin's chambers and picks up the clothes thrown all over the room.**_

_**'**__**Holy!' said the old physician.**_

_**Merlin suddenly wakes.**_

_**'**__**Have you seen the state of this room?' said Gaius paternally.**_

Huinith smiles at her uncle and son but wished it could have been Balinor who was Merlin's father figure.

_**'It just happens,' said Merlin.**_

_**'By magic?' asked Gaius.**_

_**'Yeah,' Merlin is obviously lying.**_

_**'Yes. Well, you can clear it up without magic. And then I want you to get me some herbs: henbane, wormwood, and sorrel. And deliver this to Morgana. Poor girl's suffering from nightmares.'**_

Merlin sighs.

_**Gaius tosses some more clothes at Merlin.**_

_**'**__**Mmm, I know the feeling,' said Merlin.**_

'Where you talking about Arthur and your destiny?' asked Gwen.

'Yeah,' said Merlin.

_**Merlin walks up to Morgana's chambers and into her chambers where she is currently changing behind a screen.**_

_**'**__**You know, I've been thinking about Arthur. I wouldn't touch him with a lance pole.**_

'I share those sentiments,' growled Arthur.

'I think everyone does,' said Sir Leon.

_**Pass me that dress, will you Gwen?' asked Morgana.**_

'She changed so much,' said Gwen.

'Why couldn't she be more like Merlin?' asked Arthur.

'I don't think she had a choice,' said Merlin. Arthur raised his eyebrows, 'the ancient prophecies talk about her as out mortal enemy,' merlin said.

Everyone was shocked but Merlin didn't seem like he was going to give any more information away.

_**Merlin pauses and looks around before he passed Morgana a dress. She begins undressing.**_

_**'**__**I mean, the man's a total jouster. And just because I'm the King's ward, that doesn't mean I have to accompany him to the feast, does it?' Morgana said.**_

'I can't believe that witch used to accompany me everywhere,' said Arthur heatedly.

_**Merlin places the gown on the screen.**_

_**'**__**Well, does it?' Morgana repeated.**_

_**Merlin shakes his head, 'Mm-Mmm,' said Merlin who was trying not to show his masculinity.**_

_**'**__**If he wants me to go, then he should invite me, and he hasn't,' said Morgana indignantly.**_

'I didn't want to go with her,' growled Arthur.

_**On the box Merlin seemed to be looking around for someway out of his current predicament.**_

_**'**__**So do you know what that means?' asked Morgana.**_

_**Merlin shakes his head, '**__**Mm-Mmm.**_

_**'**__**Where are you?' she calls for her maid.**_

_**Morgana turns around and Merlin hides behind a cloak, 'here,' the young man says in a high pitched voice.**_

_**Merlin peeks through the neck of the cloak of the hood to see the beautiful Lady Morgana.**_

_**'**__**It means I'm going by myself,' said the lady.**_

_**Merlin decides its time to leave and moves to leave.**_

_**'**__**I need some help with this fastening,' she said.**_

_**Merlin turned around looking lost. Gwen enters behind him.**_

_**'**__**What are you doing here?' mouthed Gwen.**_

_**Merlin gestured to Morgana.**_

_**Gwen nods, 'oh.'**_

_**Merlin mouths a thank you to Gwen before he leaves and she helps Morgana. Morgana comes out from behind the screen in a new dress and carrying another one.**_

_**'**__**So, it's whether I wear this little tease...' said Morgana holding up a maroon gown. '...or give them a night they'll really remember?'**_

_**Once again they cut to Lady Helen's chambers where a serving girl was tending to the imposter. She is brining a bowl of fruit to the woman. She knocks on the door which is opened by a dark haired woman.**_

_**'**__**Lady Helen.' The serving girl that Gwen and Merlin knew as Bronwen curtsied, 'Compliments of the King**__**.'**_

_**'Come in,' Mary invites the girl in.**_

'I have a bad feeling about this,' said Merlin scowling.

_**Mary sits at the table and picks up an apple.**_

_**'**__**So sweet. How will I ever repay him?' asked Mary Collins.**_

'By not killing his son,' suggested Elyan.

_**'**__**When he hears you sing. Well, that will be more than enough won't it? I'm really looking forward to the performance.' The girl said.**_

_**'So am I,' Lady Helen's face had a slightly sinister look to it.**_

'I'll bet you are,' muttered Lancelot.

_**'I love singing, you know. I sing all the time. My betrothed says I have the voice of a fallen angel.' the girl prattled on.**_

_**Bronwen removes the cover from the mirror and sees the old face of Mary Collins' in the mirror. She tries to leave. But the woman grabs her arm and the girl falls down dead.**_

Merlin shuddered, 'magic should never be corrupted like that.'

'Corrupted?' asked Arthur.

'You've seen my eyes and you've seen Morgana's eyes; their very different. Magic is pure – dark magic is it being corrupted.'

_**Gaius and Merlin enter the banquet hall where the nobles and courtiers are already in attendance. Merlin sees Arthur and a group of his Knights laughing.**_

_**'**__**...Merlin...' Arthur is saying and his knights laugh '...so I stood up and...' he pretends to punch one of his mates stomach again at which they laugh again.**_

'That's not what happened,' said an annoyed Gwen.

'It's better than the truth,' said Gaius glaring at Merlin.

'The truth could get both me and Gaius executed,' said Merlin softly.

_**Morgana enters the hall and all the men stare at her.**_

_**'**__**God have mercy,' breathed Arthur.**_

Gwen raised an eyebrow.

Arthur shrugged, 'she was scary when she was constantly trying to pull my friends,' Arthur said.

_**Merlin stares at Morgana as she passes.**_

'She always pulled me towards her; a mixture of magic and hormones I think,' said Merlin softly.

_**'**__**Merlin. Remember, you're here to work,' Gaius reminded Merlin quietly.**_

_**'Oh, yeah,' Merlin was still gazing at his would-be-enemy as Arthur moves forward to talk to him.**_

_**Meanwhile Gwen moves over to talk to Merlin.**_

_**'**__**She looks great, doesn't she?' said Gwen.**_

'You look better,' said Arthur and Lancelot together who then began a staring competition.

_**'Yeah,' said Merlin wistfully.**_

'What is it about you and dark haired evil sorceresses?' asked Gaius.

'Freya wasn't evil,' said Merlin.

'She was cursed but asides from her you have been attracted to both Nimueh and Morgana both you've ended up duelling to the death with,' said Gaius.

Merlin turned back to the black box.

_**'Some people are just born to be queen,' said Gwen.**_

'Like you,' smiled Arthur but nobody liked the fact that Morgana had taken over Camelot.

_**'**__**No!' shouted Merlin.**_

'I hope so.

'Not anymore,' said Gwen. 'I don't want another taste of Queen Morgana thank you very much!'

One day.

'That would be a day too soon in my opinion!' said Merlin.

_**Not that I'd want to be her. Who'd want to marry Arthur?'**_

'You,' suggested Merlin.

'I like the Arthur who you showed how to be compassionate not the spoilt brat of a prince,' said Gwen.

_**'Oh,' he chuckled, 'come on, Gwen. I thought you liked those real rough, tough, save the world kind of men.'**_

_**'No, I like much more ordinary men like you,' said Gwen.**_

'I really thought you were ordinary turns out Arthur's more ordinary than you – there are a few princes but only one Emerys!' she stated at Arthur's hurt look.

'Only one Once and Future King,' Merlin reminded them.

_**'**__**Gwen, believe me, I'm not ordinary,' said Merlin darkly.**_

_**'**__**No, I didn't mean you, obviously. Not you. But just, you know, I like much more ordinary men like you,' Gwen said in a fluster.**_

_**'Thanks,' Merlin grinned.**_

_**Both of the servants walk away from each other awkwardly.**_

_**Mary Collins is sitting at her dressing table humming softly before leaving the room walking past Bronwen's corpse on the way out. Celebratory horns announce King Uther's arrival and everyone finds their places on the table.**_

_**'**__**We have enjoyed twenty years of peace and prosperity. It has brought the kingdom and myself many pleasures,**_

'And many enemies,' muttered Merlin.

_**but few can compare with the honour of introducing Lady Helen of Mora,' Uther gestured for Lady Helen herself to the applause of the other guests.**_

_**Mary Collin begins to sing and as she does an enchantment falls over them all causing the banqueters to fall asleep cobwebs forming over their frozen forms. Merlin notices this and clamps his hands over his ears. She begins staring at Arthur as she pulls a dagger from her sleeve. Merlin's eyes glow golden as he drops the chandelier on her.**_

'That's how it happened,' said Arthur. 'Wait all those falling tree branches, dropped weapons; that was you, wasn't it!'

Merlin beamed.

'And I tease you for not moving,' said Arthur.

'I do way more from vantage points than I ever do head on; can't hold a sword to save myself. But magic well I'm more powerful than Nimueh, Morguase and Morgana!' he said.

_**The courtiers wake and begin pulling the cobwebs off of themselves. Mary raises herself up off the floor to throw the dagger at Arthur. Merlin slows down time so he can reach Arthur and pushes him out of harms way.**_

'I see what you mean about magic being used for good,' said Gwen quietly.

Merlin grinned.

_**The dagger slices into Arthur's chair as they fall to the floor and Mary Collins dies. Uther and Arthur stare in shock at Merlin.**_

'You were shocked!' said Gwen.

'Well I thought he hated me,' said Arthur.

'I didn't want you dead!' said Merlin.

_**'**__**You saved my boy's life. A debt must be repaid,' said Uther.**_

'It wouldn't be so if he knew I had used magic in the space of a few minutes to save Arthur,' said Merlin sadly.

'That's wrong,' frowned Arthur who in the past forty-five minutes had found his whole belief system shattered by this strange box. That Merlin said wasn't magic! And knowing what he now did about Merlin Arthur was not inclined to doubt the boy.

_**'Oh, well...' said Merlin not sounding happy at being addressed by Uther.**_

'You always seem quiet where father is,' said Arthur.

'He kills my kind,' reminded Merlin.

'You're scared of him,' Percival said.

'I have every reason to be,' Merlin said.

_**'**__**Don't be so modest. You shall be rewarded,' Uther declared.**_

_**'No, honestly, you don't have to, Your Highness,' Merlin blathered.**_

'Wish I had your respect,' muttered Arthur.

'You do I'm just not scared of you. I don't respect Uther so I do not tell him what I think he needs to know. I talk out because I do respect you!' said Merlin.

_**'No, absolutely. This merits something quite special!' Uther decided.**_

_**'Well...' Merlin trailed.**_

_**'You shall be rewarded a position in the royal household. You shall be Prince Arthur's manservant,' he decided.**_

_**Merlin and Arthur looked away from each other both looking unhappy.**_

'I could never tell which of the two of you were most unhappy about the way things turned out,' laughed Gaius.

'I did,' both Arthur and Merlin said together. 'Still it worked out for the best,' said Merlin cheerfully.

'Yes it did,' agreed Arthur.

_**The court then applauds.**_

_**'**__**Father!' Arthur complained.**_

'Sorry, Merlin,' said Arthur.

'Don't worry I felt the same,' grinned Merlin.

_**Gaius knocks on Merlin's bedroom door and enters.**_

'See Gaius knows how to knock!' said Arthur.

_**'**__**Seems you're a hero,' said Gaius.**_

_**'Hard to believe, isn't it?' said Merlin.**_

'Not really I met you because you were brave enough to stand up for someone who couldn't stand up for himself,' said Gwen. 'Even Arthur noticed it!'

_**'**__**No. I knew it from the moment I met you. When you saved my life, remember?' Gaius reminded Merlin.**_

_**'**__**But...that was magic,' said Merlin.**_

'And saving my life wasn't?' Arthur reminded him.

'I was finding who I was,' said Merlin.

_**Gaius nods, and now, it seems, we finally found a use for it.'**_

_**'What do you mean?' asked Merlin.**_

_**'I saw how you saved Arthur's life,' said Gaius.**_

'Everyone did,' agreed Gwen. 'I always from the second I first saw you two argue in the courtyard your strange connection,' smiled the future queen.

_**'**__**Oh, no,' said Merlin.**_

'I remembered what Kilgharrah told me and it terrified me!' said Merlin. 'I was only sixteen,' Merlin reminded them.

'I was almost eighteen,' said Arthur who was shocked that the boy almost two years younger than himself was so much wiser than he.

_**'Perhaps that's its purpose,' said Gaius thoutfully.**_

Merlin sighed, 'my destiny.'

_**'Indeed. This book was given to me when I was your age, but I have a feeling it will be of more use to you than it was to me,' he smiled at his ward.**_

_**Gaius handed Merlin a large leather bound book that Merlin immediately unlatches.**_

_**Merlin snorted, but this is a book of magic.'**_

_**Which is why you must keep it hidden,' said Gaius.**_

'Well I was harbouring a sorcerer and teaching him magic,' said Gaius.

_**'I will study every word,' said Merlin.**_

'Did you?' asked Percival.

'I was soon beyond what it could teach me,' said Merlin softly. 'A lot I could do on first try and others I had done on instinct. I found another one last year though,' smiled Merlin.

_**A guard knocks on the door and Merlin is quick to hide the magic book.**_

_**The guard enters and says, 'Merlin, Prince Arthur wants you right away.'**_

_**'Your destiny's calling. You'd better find out what he wants,' said Gaius.**_

'Should we watch the next one?' asked Merlin.

'Yes,' said Arthur, 'I want to find out more about my destiny,' and Merlin he added in his head.

'Well we can watch one more then we'll have lunch. Hopefully there is something in this place to eat!'


	2. 2 valiant

_Valiant_

Merlin, the knights of the roundtable, Gaius and Huinith watched as the box flared into life once more.

_The voice of the Great Dragon was heard once more, 'in a land of myth and a time of magic, the destiny of a great kingdom rests on the shoulders of a young boy. His name: Merlin.'_

_The Knight Valiant enters the shady shop._

'Don't tell me you were the one who saved me from those snakes,' moaned Arthur.

'Okay I won't tell you,' said Merlin cheekily.

Arthur rolled his eyes.

'_I understand you have a shield for me,' Valiant spoke._

_The unknown merchant gestures to Valiant who follows him to behind the counter._

'_With your swordcraft and this shield, I guarantee you will win,' said the shop owner._

_'Show me how it works,' demanded Valiant._

_Certainly. Tharanai im bis entra ofra honra stolle.' The shop owner who was deemed a sorcerer said._

'What does that mean?' Percival asked Merlin.

'Umm, "Change it here. The sound of my voice causes filthy wounds"' said Merlin.

_The snakes slither out of the shield. Arthur shudders remembering the snakes all too clearly._

'_When you're competing in the tournament, you pin your opponent under the shield, a snake strikes. Your opponent will be paralysed,' the sorcerer said._

_The shop owner hands him the sword._

'_The snakes are now under your command. They will do anything that you tell them to do,' said the sorcerer._

'_Anything?' asked Valiant._

'He's up to something,' said Merlin.

_'Just say the word,' replied the shop owner not noticing Valiant's intention._

_Both of the conspirators laugh._

'_Kill him,' said Valiant._

_A snake lashes out at the shop owner killing him instantly. Valiant rides for the city placing his helmet and seal on the table._

'_Knight Valiant of the Western Isles. I'm here for the tournament.' Valiant speaks to the Sean the Steward._

_'Welcome to Camelot,' smiled Sean._

_Outside the castle Arthur and Merlin are training._

'_Ready?' Arthur asked swinging his sword._

_'Would it make any difference if I said no?' the young warlock asked._

_'Not really.' Arthur admitted._

_Merlin draws his sword and Arthur attacks._

'_Body. Shield. Body. Shield.' Arthur intones._

_'Shield.' Merlin responds doing his best to keep up with the warrior._

_'Head,' Arthur surprises Merlin._

_'Head? Ow.' Merlin protests at the pain._

_'Come on, Merlin. You're not even trying,' complained the prince._

_Arthur tags the manservant in the back._

'_I know. Ah.' Merlin gets hit again._

_'Once more,' Arthur continues going._

_'Oh, no.' Merlin pleads._

'_To the left. To the right. And left. Head.' Arthur continues training._

_'Ow!' Arthur gets another hit._

_'Come on, Merlin! I've got a tournament to win,' complained the spoilt prince._

'You not Merlin,' Gwaine rolled his eyes.

'_Can we stop now, please? Ow! Shield. Body,' Merlin said._

_'Shield,' Arthur helped._

_'Shield. Ah.' Merlin was hit again in the head._

'_Ow,' Merlin topples over his helmet rolling off._

'_You're braver than you look. Most servants collapse after the first blow.' Arthur gave Merlin half a compliment._

'Was that a compliment?' asked Gaius.

'I think it was,' laughed Gwaine.

'_Is it over?' asked Merlin looking up from the floor._

_'That was just the warm up. How's your mace work coming along?' Arthur threatened._

_Merlin sighed as they resumed fighting._

_Later Merlin walks into Gaius' living quarters dropping his armour as he goes._

_Gaius chuckled, 'so, how was your first day as Arthur's servant?' he asked sounding like he knew the answer._

_Merlin tapped his head._

'_Do you hear clanging?' asked Merlin._

Arthur rolled his eyes, 'honestly it wasn't that bad!'

_Merlin slumps down at the table wearing his tunic as Gaius begins massaging the warlock's shoulders._

'_Ah! It was horrible. Ahh, and I've still got to learn all about tournament etiquette by the morning. onhríne achtung bregdan.' Merlin suddenly began doing magic._

_The book on the tournament moved towards him and flipped open. Gaius was not impressed wearing an expression of extreme annoyance and slight fear he hit Merlin over the head stopping the massage._

'_Oi!' he shouts at the same time._

'_What've I told you about using magic like this?' Gaius scolded._

'Father could kill you for it,' Arthur reminded his friend.

'It's a part of me,' said Merlin. 'I want to be myself; magic and all.'

_'If I could actually feel my arms, I'd pick up the book myself.' Merlin said._

_'Never mind your arms. What do I do if you get caught?' Gaius said._

_'What would you do?' asked the still innocent boy._

_'Well you just make sure it doesn't happen, for both our sakes.' Gaius said treating his ward._

'_Ah! I save Arthur from being killed and I end up as a servant. How is that fair?' Merlin complained. _

_'I'm not sure fairness comes into it. You never know, it might be fun.' Gaius suggested._

'It's easy to look after Arthur,' admitted Merlin.

_Merlin scoffed, 'you think mucking out Arthur's horses is going to be fun? You should hear my list of duties.'_

'_We all have our duties. Even Arthur,' reminded Gaius._

_'It must be so tough for him with all the girls and the glory.' Merlin moaned enviously._

_'He is a future king. People expect so much of him. He's under a lot of pressure.' Gaius explained._

_'Ah! That makes two of us.' Merlin referred to both their destiny._

_Merlin brings Arthur's armour into Gwen's where she shows him how to put it on._

'_So, you've got voiders on the arms,' Gwen began._

'_Mm-mmm,' Merlin listened._

'So he can listen,' grinned Arthur.

'You'd be surprised when he is trying to learn new stuff,' laughed Gaius.

'_The hauberk goes over your chest,' Gwen continued._

'_The chest. The arms. The chest,' Merlin rambled._

_'I guess you know what to do with the helmet,' laughed Gwen._

_.__  
><em>_'Erm, yeah. Yeah, that was the only bit I'd figured out,' grinned Merlin._

_Gwen giggled as Merlin put the helmet on looking a bit of a fool. He really didn't suit armour._

'_How come you're so much better at this than me?' questioned Merlin._

_'I'm the blacksmith's daughter. I know pretty much everything there is to know about armour, which is actually kind of sad,' Gwen said._

_'No, it's brilliant!' grinned Merlin._

_The scene cuts to when they are on the training grounds. Merlin is struggling to get the vambrace on Arthur's lower arm; much to the prince's annoyance._

'_You do know the tournament starts today?' the arrogant prince asks impatiently._

'_Yes, Sir,' said Merlin with a goofy look on his elfin face._

_Merlin fixes the buckle on Arthur's gorget._

'_You nervous?' asked Merlin._

'_I don't get nervous,' said Arthur._

_'Really? I thought everyone got nervous,' said Merlin in surprise._

_'Will you shut up!' Arthur finally snaps._

_Merlin ties Arthur's cape around him and places the helmet on his head completely forgetting Arthur's sword._

The knights and Gwen noticed. While Arthur looked annoyed, Merlin embarrassed, the knights and Gwen laughed. 'What?' asked Gaius.

'The sword,' chuckled Gwen.

'He's forgotten it,' smiled Huinith, 'some things never change. I'd send him out for wood and he'd forget the wood but bring home a stranger.'

'_Great, yeah. I think you're all set,' Merlin completely oblivious._

Now everyone but Arthur was laughing (a smile was playing on the prince's lips).

'_Aren't you forgetting something?' Merlin didn't seem to think so, so Arthur had to fill the boy in, 'my sword.'_

_Merlin's reaction was comical like he had been hit on the head with a hammer, 'oh yeah. Yeah, sorry. Guess, uh, you'll be needing that.'_

Arthur rolled his eyes at his manservant.

_Arthur furiously grabs the sword and marches off to fight._

'_That went well,' Merlin said._

'If that went well I'd hate to see when things didn't go well,' Gwen shook her head.

_Gwen and Morgana are sitting excitedly in the stands as the knights walk into the tournament. Merlin peeks around to watch whilst Uther stands up in front of Morgana and introduces the tournament._

'_Knights of the realm, it's a great honour to welcome you to a tournament at Camelot. Over the next three days, you will come to put your bravery to the test, your skills as warriors, and of course, to challenge the reigning champion, my son, Prince Arthur. Only one can have the honour of being crowned champion, and he will receive a prize of 1,000 gold pieces,' announced the tyrant king opening a box revealing the gold up for grabs. 'It is in combat that we learn a knight's true nature, whether he is indeed a warrior or a coward. The tournament begins!'_

'That was certainly true with Valiant,' muttered Merlin.

_The crowd begins cheering._

'_I trust you will make me proud,' Uther told his son slapping him on the back and moving away._

'No pressure,' murmured Elyan.

_The guards take Arthur and the other knights' capes and puts on the knights' helmets. Gwen whoops and Arthur faces his first opponent._

'_Yeah! Come on!' Merlin cheers on his prince as he wins._

'_Yeah!' cheered Merlin as Arthur won the duel._

_Valiant is now fighting in a very violent style as Arthur and Merlin watch him._

'_Knight Valiant looks pretty handy with a sword,' Merlin commented._

_Valiant wins and exits the arena stopping to talk with Arthur._

'_May I offer my congratulations on your victories today?' Valiant says to the young prince._

_'Likewise.' Arthur is polite to the noble._

_'I hope to see you at the reception this evening,' the knight says and leaves with his servant._

'_Creep,' Merlin says._

_Arthur snorts looking like he agrees with Merlin._

_Merlin snorts as well.__  
><em>_'Uh, for tomorrow you need to repair my shield, wash my tunic, clean my boots, sharpen my sword, and polish my chainmail.' He orders much to Merlin's disgust._

_Merlin is once more in his chambers reading his magic book whilst the chores are being magically done._

'So that's why you get through your chores so quickly,' says Arthur.

'That's terribly dangerous,' said Gwen.

_Gaius then enters the room at which the magic is stopped with a furtive looking Merlin._

'_Are you using magic again?' scolded the physican._

_'No' lied Merlin._

Everyone snorts at this.

'_What's all this, then?' Gaius gestures to mess on the floor._

_Merlin shrugs not looking at his mentor._

_'I just came to tell you that supper's ready,' the old man obviously not wanting to get into an argument today._

_In King Uther's throne room the knights all queue up to shake hands with the King and Lady._

'_Knight Valiant of the Western Isles, My Lord,' Valiant introduces himself to Uther._

_'I saw you fighting today. You have a very aggressive style,' commented Uther._

_'Well, as My Lord said, "To lose is to be disgraced,"' returned the knight._

_'I couldn't agree more. Knight Valiant, may I present the Lady Morgana, my ward,' Uther said looking impressed._

_Valiant bows to Morgana and Arthur looks on bemused._

'_My Lady,' Valiant takes Morgana's hand and kisses it._

_'I saw you competing today,' Morgana flirted._

_'I saw you watching. I understand the tournament champion has the honour of escorting My Lady to the feast,' Valiant wooed._

_'That's correct,' smiled Morgana._

_'Then I will give everything to win the tournament,' Valiant said_.

'Too much,' said Merlin.

_On the screen Morgana is smiling and nodding at the traitor._

'I guess traitors really do go together,' Arthur snarled.

Merlin frowned.

'_My Lady,' Valiant walks over to shake hand with the other knights with Morgana and Gwen watching him._

_Arthur bows to his father._

'You bow to your father?' questioned Elyan.

'He's the king,' shrugged Arthur.

'_Arthur,' Uther says._

_'Father,' the younger Pendragon replies._

_Arthur looks at his opponent as he walks over to Morgana, 'They all seem rather impressed by Knight Valiant,' she commented as the knights continued to congratulate Valiant._

_'They're not the only ones,' Arthur teased._

_'You're not jealous, are you?' smirked Morgana._

'_I don't see there's anything to be jealous of,' responded Arthur._

_Morgana doesn't smile back as Arthur walks off._

'_Could Arthur be any more annoying? I so hope Knight Valiant wins the tournament,' responded Morgana to Gwen._

_'You don't really mean that,' Gwen said._

'Or so I hoped,' sighed Gwen.

_'Yes, I do.' Morgana assured her._

_At this time Merlin is in the armoury and hears a hissing sound._

'_Hello? Is there someone there?' shouted the warlock._

'You could sense the magic couldn't you?' asked Percival.

'Always,' replied Merlin.

_Merlin finds Valiant's magic shield where he walks over to it and a snake blinks at him. He's about to investigate further when suddenly he finds a sword at his chest._

'_Can I help you with something, boy?' asked Valiant._

_'Nope. I'm good. I, I was just...I was, erm, gathering my master's armour,' Merlin stutters._

_'Then you'd best be on your way,' suggested the yellow knight._

_'Right, yeah. No problem,' Merlin scarpers picking up the armour and stumbling on his way out._

_Arthur is in his chambers dressed in his gambeson with his armour laid out for him to see._

'_You did all this on your own?' asked Arthur in disbelief._

_'Yes, Sire,' Merlin agrees enthusiastically._

_'Now let's see if you can get me into it without forgetting anything,' Arthur said looking for fault._

_Merlin puts on Arthur's armour flawlessly._

'_That was much better. Not that it could have got any worse,' Arthur said insultingly._

'Can't you two ever not insult each other?' asked Gaius.

'It's get boring,' laughed Merlin.

'_I'm a fast learner,' smiled Merlin._

_'I hope, for you sake, that's true,' Arthur replied._

_'Good luck,' Merlin said as Arthur left._

_Arthur now marches into the arena as Merlin watches from the sidelines._

'_Is it my imagination, or are you beginning to enjoy yourself?' asked a laughing Gaius._

_'It...' Merlin paused to sigh, 'it isn't totally horrible all the time,' the warlock reluctantly admitted as the two watched as Arthur thought his opponent. 'Yes!' Merlin suddenly claps as Arthur beats his opponent hands down._

_Valiant and Sir Ewan replace him. Valiant manages to knock Ewan down pinning him down._

'_Strike him,' Valiant orders and the snakes rise from the shield. 'Strike him,' Valiant repeated. The serpent bites Sir Ewan and Valiant stands up to cheers as Merlin and Arthur watch._

'_I think he's badly hurt,' said Merlin worriedly to Arthur as Gaius runs onto the court with his physicians' bag._

_Sometime later Merlin enters the physicians' quarters as he puts down Arthur's armour._

'_How is he?' Merlin asked._

_'It's most odd. Look at this. See these two small wounds. Looks like a snake bite,' said Gaius._

Arthur's eyes flash angrily remembering that his knight had died.

'_How could he've been bitten by a snake? He was injured in the sword fight,' Merlin asked._

_'But the symptoms are consistent with poisoning: slow pulse, fever, paralysis,' said Gaius._

'Tell me about it,' murmured Merlin.

Arthur frowned remembering the poisoning.

'_Can you heal him?' asked Merlin naively._

_'Well, if it is a snake bite, I'll have to extract venom from the snake that bit him to make an antidote,' explained Gaius._

_'What happens if he doesn't get the antidote?' questioned Merlin._

'Had you never had snake poisonings in Ealdor?' questioned Lancelot.

'There were no poisonous snakes around just little grass ones which could bite your ankles once threatened but do no real harm,' explained Merlin.

_'Then I'm afraid there's nothing more I can do for him. He's going to die,' said Gaius softly._

Arthur winced knowing that was exactly what had happened.

_'He was fighting Knight Valiant,' Merlin said._

'That's how you worked it out,' said Arthur.

'Wasn't hard to work out – I'd felt the magic on the shield – but as it was just a simple animation spell not dark magic. It was the way in which it was used not the use of it that was dark,' explained Merlin.

'You wouldn't have turned him in if he wasn't using magic to hurt people,' said Gwen.

'My kin?' asked Merlin.

'_What's that?' Gaius asked too busy looking after Sir Ewain to properly listen to Merlin's realisation._

_'Nothing,' Merlin said quickly before leaving Gaius to look after the knight._

_Merlin follows Valiant into his chambers where he pulls a mouse out of a cage._

'Is he going to feed the mouse to the snake?' asked Gwen in disgust.

Merlin nodded.

'_Dinner time. Come on,' Valiant calls to snakes who appear out of the shield gobble up greedily._

'Do they need feeding?' asked Percival.

'Yes – they are real currently,' said Merlin.

_Merlin after seeing this scurries away but Valiant hears and follows but is unable to follow him as Merlin successfully hides in an alcove._

_Merlin has returned to Gaius._

'_I've just seen one of the snakes in Valiant's shield come alive. He's using magic,' Merlin hurriedly says._

_'Are you sure?' asks Gaius._

_'The snake ate a mouse - one swallow, straight down. _

Gwen grimaced.

_Sir Ewan was fighting Valiant when he collapsed. It must've been one of the snakes from the shield. I have to tell Arthur,' said Merlin._

'When did you start trusting me?' asked Arthur.

'No idea,' said Merlin.

_'Is there any chance you might be mistaken?' Gaius said sharply._

'Don't you believe him?' Gwen glowered.

'I did but it was complicated,' Gaius said.

_'I know magic when I see it,' Merlin stated._

_'Perhaps,' agreed Gaius, 'but have you any proof?' the man questioned._

_'Don't you believe me?' questioned Merlin hurt colouring his face and voice._

_'I fear you'll land yourself in trouble. How will you explain why you were in Valiant's chambers?' Gaius pointed out._

'He's Merlin,' said Arthur. 'Has a real knack of being where he shouldn't.'

'Don't knock it it's saved your life on many occasions,' Merlin defended himself.

Huinith groaned, 'I don't want to know.'

_'What does that matter? He's using magic to cheat in the tournament!' Merlin exclaimed._

_'But you can't go accusing a knight of using magic without proof. The King would never accept the word of servant over the word of a knight,' Gaius patiently explained._

Arthur scowled, 'that's not right!' he said realising how wrong the kingdom was.

_'What? So what I say doesn't count for anything?' Merlin shouted._

_'I'm afraid it counts for very little as far as the King is concerned. That's the way it is,' he sighed._

'There's going to be changes when we get back,' said Arthur.

'More so than four commoner knights and a lady?' laughed Gwaine.

'Yup first the ban on all magic will be lifted; only magic that is used to hurt people!' said Arthur. 'And even then it will depend on the circumstances; killing will be death but stealing imprisonment or a fine!'

Merlin smiled, 'just like it is for non-magic people,' said Merlin.

'Equality,' agreed Arthur.

_Merlin and Arthur are on the grounds as they watch a small serving boy put a ladder up to his tall knight dressed all in brown._

'_You're telling me you've got to fight that?' said Merlin in horror._

_'Yes, and he's strong as a bear. But he's slow,' said Arthur._

_'Ah, and you're fast,' grinned Merlin._

'That's what I like about you,' smiled Arthur. 'You're a hell of a lot smarter than most servants. But it really annoys me that you seem to make yourself more stupid.'

'I do,' said Merlin.

'Why?' asked Elyan.

'No one in the right mind would think idiotic, clumsy, forgetful Merlin was the most powerful warlock ever!' explained Merlin.

_'Exactly,' Arthur said._

_Arthur's armour is ready and the scene cuts to stand where Morgana is stroking Gwen's cloak._

'Um Gwen what is she doing?' asked Elyan.

'I don't know,' said Gwen with a look of complete revulsion on her face.

'_You're not worried, are you?' she asked._

_'No,' Morgana defended herself._

_Merlin watches as Valiant puts down his shield and Gaius approaches the boy._

'Why couldn't you have just replaced the shield with an identical that wasn't harmful?' asked Arthur.

'That's a good idea and not hard to replicate things either,' agreed Merlin.

'_How're you getting on?' asked Gaius._

_'Fine. Just doing my job. Minding my own business,' said Merlin slightly coldly._

Gaius snorts, 'when you mind your own business I'm the king!' said Gaius.

'Just fulfilling my destiny,' laughed Merlin.

'And your natural inquisitiveness,' muttered Huinith.

_Both Arthur and Valiant win their next matches with Gaius and Merlin watching the bracket._

'_Valiant's going to fight Arthur in the final. He'll use the shield to kill him,' said Merlin in alarm._

_Merlin sits with Sir Ewain in Gaius' chambers when the physician walks in._

'_Merlin, about what I said yesterday...Look, Uther wouldn't really listen to you or me,_

Arthur scowled once again.

_but you are right. We can't let Valiant get away with this,' Gaius agreed._

_'But we don't have any proof,' said Merlin in anger._

_'Well, if we could cure Ewain, he could tell the King that Valiant was using magic. The King would believe another knight. But how we get the antidote...Well, that's another matter,' sighed Gaius._

'What did you do?' sighed Huinith.

'Who says I did anything?' asked Merlin.

'I know what your like,' was all Merlin's mother replied.

'You'll see,' laughed Merlin.

'_Merlin?' Gaius asks as Merlin runs off._

Huinith sighed worrying about her son.

_The knights are toasting each other's victory._

'_Long live Valiant!' cheered the knights._

'Or not,' said Sir Leon.

'_So Valiant, do you think you stand a chance of defeating my son?' questioned Uther._

_'He is a great warrior, My Lord. I do hope to be a worthy opponent,' said Valiant calmly._

_Merlin is peeking into the chambers to check that Valiant is where he's supposed to be._

'_You should stay in Camelot after the tournament. I could do with more knights like you,' said Uther._

'Ones that kill for glory,' said Merlin in disgust.

_'I'd be honoured, My Lord,' said the yellow knight._

_Merlin runs up to Valiant's guest chambers, 'Allinan,' whispered Merlin as the door unlocks._

'What?' began Arthur.

'Open,' replied Merlin.

_Merlin takes a sword from the rack._

'You can't even swing a sword!' said Arthur incredulously.

'You didn't see him when he fought when Morgana was in control,' said Lancelot.

'How much is you and how much is your disguise?' asked Arthur.

Merlin sighed, 'sometimes I wonder!'

_He approaches the magical shield but moves away when he realises that someone is coming in. A snake has slithered out and is about to strike at the servant. Merlin lashes out with the sword without turning to look at it._

'How?' asked Arthur.

'Isn't it abvious our warlock here sensed it with his magical powers,' laughed Gwaine.

Merlin just rolled his eyes.

_The other snakes follow their brother out and Merlin drops the sword grabbing the snake rushing out of the room. _

_Back in Gaius' chambers Gaius drains some venom from the snake's teeth._

'_I'll get started preparing the antidote,' said Gaius._

_'I'm going to tell Arthur,' said Merlin._

'Again you trust me,' said Arthur.

_'You'll need this,' said Gaius handing the snake head to Merlin._

'_And Merlin, what you did was very brave,' added the old man._

'It was,' agreed Sir Leon.

_Arthur is dining in his chambers with Merlin talking to him._

'_You? You chopped its head off?' questioned the prince with a look of disbelief on his face._

'I still find that hard to believe,' Arthur shook his head.

'Why is that so hard to believe?' asked Merlin.

'You look like you couldn't hurt a fly,' said Elyan.

'You haven't seen me angry,' said Merlin.

'Oh yeah,' challenged Arthur, 'let's see then!'

'No,' said Merlin flatly.

'Why not?' asked Gwaine pouting.

'The last time I got angry – really angry – was when Morgana returned and that was that freak storm that I caused!' said Merlin grimly.

'_Ewain was bitten by a snake from the shield when he was fighting Valiant. You can talk to Gaius, you can see the puncture wounds in Ewan's neck where the snake bit him. Ewan was beating him, he had to cheat,' Merlin protested._

_'Valiant wouldn't dare use magic in Camelot,' said Arthur._

'I do,' Merlin pointed out.

'You're insane,' said Arthur.

'Not really if I find a prison that could hold me I'd be surprised,' laughed Merlin.

Sir Leon and Arthur scowled at the implications of Camelot's security.

'_Ewan was pinned under Valiant's shield. No one could see the snake bite him,' retorted Merlin._

_'I don't like the guy, but that doesn't mean he's cheating,' said Arthur._

_'Gaius is preparing an antidote to the snake venom. When Ewian's conscious, he'll tell you what happened. If you fight Valiant in the final, he'll use the shield. It's the only way he can beat you._

'Was that a compliment?' asked Elyan.

'You know Elyan I think it was,' replied Gwaine.

_Look at it!' Merlin said in an urgent voice picking up the snake head. 'Have you ever seen any snakes like this in Camelot?' asked Merlin. Arthur picked up the snake head and looked at it as Merlin continued talking, 'I know I'm just a servant and my word doesn't count for anything. I wouldn't lie to you.' Merlin's voice went soft._

'That's when it began to hit home to me how unfair the world was,' said Arthur quietly.

'_I want you to swear to me what you're telling me is true,' the prince said._

_'I swear it's true,' the honesty shining in Merlin's face._

'_Then I believe you.' Arthur said._

_Valiant is being escorted the king's throne room. Gaius is treating Sir Ewain who wakes up._

'_Welcome back,' Gaius greets the man._

_'There was a snake on his shield. It came alive,' the knight told the physician._

_'You're weak. The snake's venom is still in your system,' Gaius told the man._

'_I must warn Arthur,' Sir Ewain tries to get out of bed._

'He's very loyal,' said Merlin.

'So are you,' said Lancelot.

_'Arthur already knows. He's requested an audience with the King._

'You have to request audiences with your father?' asked Elyan.

'For official business,' shrugged Arthur.

_Now, they'll want to talk to you. Rest. You'll need your strength. I need to fetch more herbs. I'll be right back,' Gaius left his patient. As soon as the physician's' back was turned one of the snakes of Valiant's shield slithered over to him and once more bit him._

_Elsewhere Uther has entered the council chamber where Arthur, Valiant and Merlin are waiting for him._

'_Let me see this shield,' commanded the king._

'_Don't let him get too close,' Merlin whispers to Arthur._

'You were willing to protect someone who would have you killed?' asked Gwaine.

'I guess I'm a better man than he,' shrugged Merlin.

_'Be careful, My Lord,' Arthur draws his sword warily._

_Uther is inspecting the shield as Gaius enters the room._

'_Merlin,' Gaius whispers hoping to attracts his ward's attention._

_We need Ewan. Find out what's happening,' Arthur instructs his servant in a whisper._

_Merlin just nods and goes to Gaius._

'_As you can see, My Lord, it's just an ordinary shield,' Valiant claims._

_'He's not going to let everyone see the snakes come alive,' Arthur points out._

'_Then how am I to know that what you say is true?' questions Uther._

_'I have a witness. Knight Ewain was bitten by one of the snakes from the shield. Its venom made him grievously ill, however, he has received an antidote. He will confirm that Knight Valiant is using magic,' explained Arthur._

'_If only things had gone to plan,' sighed Merlin._

_'Where is this witness?' questions the king._

_'He should be here...' Arthur trails off. Arthur turns to Gaius and Merlin who exchange a significant look. '_Where's Ewan?' asked Arthur.

_'He's dead,' said Merlin softly._

_'I'm waiting!' Uther was impatient._

_'I'm afraid the witness is dead,' said Arthur sadly._

_'So you have no proof to support these allegations. Have you seen Valiant using magic?' asked Uther angrily._

_'No. But my servant fought one of the snakes from...' Arthur began._

_'Your servant? You made these outrageous accusations against a knight the word of your servant?' said Uther in outrage._

'It's unfair that just because Merlin wasn't a knight is word wasn't taken seriously,' scowled Arthur.

_'I believe he's telling the truth!' Arthur said,_

_'My Lord, am I really to be judged on some hearsay from a boy?' questioned Valiant._

'Who'd saved my life,' retorted Arthur.

_'I've seen those snakes come alive!' Merlin glowered._

_'How dare you interrupt? Guards!' Uther ordered._

_The guards begin to drag Merlin away._

'_My Lord,' Valiant interrupted._

_'Wait!' Uther stopped the guards._

_'I'm sure he was merely mistaken. I wouldn't want him punished on my account,' Valiant said._

'Of course not,' muttered Merlin, 'it's not like killing the prince will cause anyone any inconvenience. And the only hope that my people have for freedom,' Merlin rolled his eyes.

'You really have that much faith in me?' asked Arthur.

'All those who have not become so angry and bitter at the world do,' replied Merlin sadly.

_'You see? This is how a true knight behaves - with gallantry and honour,' said Uther in approval._

'Where in the code does it say that it is gallant to kill to win and when is it honourable to lie and cheat?' asked Gwaine.

Nobody bothered to answer Gwaine.

_'My Lord, if your son made these accusations because he's afraid to fight me, then I will graciously accept his withdrawal,' said Valiant._

'Like that's going to happen,' said Merlin, 'Arthur is the epitome of honour, valour, and gallantry,' Merlin rolled his eyes.

'How do you manage to say that like it's a bad thing?' asked Arthur.

'Do you know how many times I've had to save you because you won't back down?' asked Merlin.

'_Is this true? Do you wish to withdraw from the tournament?' Uther demanded._

_'No!' Arthur said in outrage._

_'Then what am I to make of these allegations?' questioned Uther._

'Why is the only time your father isn't paranoid about magic when there is a plot to kill you?' asked Merlin.

_'Obviously there has been a misunderstanding. I withdraw the allegation against Knight Valiant. Please accept my apology,' said Arthur._

_'Accepted,' Valiant smiled._

_Arthur is in his chambers moping._

'_I believed you, I trusted you, and you made me look a complete fool,' Arthur raged at Merlin._

_'I know it didn't go exactly to plan,' began Merlin._

_'"Didn't go to plan"? My father and the entire royal court think I'm a coward! YOU HUMILIATED ME!' shouted the prince._

_'We can still expose Valiant,' Merlin began._

_'I no longer require your services,' said the prince coldly._

_'You're sacking me?' said a hurt Merlin._

_'I need a servant I can trust,' said Arthur._

'Not Merlin then,' said Gwaine.

'Just because I had a few secrets,' said Merlin.

'A few?' chortled Leon.

'Well a lot,' agreed Merlin.

'_You can trust me!' says Merlin._

'But you couldn't trust me,' said Arthur.

'I don't trust anyone,' said Merlin sadly.

_'And look where it got me this time. Get out of my sight!' ordered the prince._

_Merlin is seen rushing to where the Great Dragon resides._

'_Where are you? I just came to tell you: whatever you think my destiny, whatever it is you think I'm supposed to do, you've got the wrong person! That's it. Goodbye,' Merlin shouts._

'What is it about you and him?' asked Elyan.

'We're kin; I'm more closely related to him than I am to any other sorcerers,' explained Merlin.

_'If only it were so easy to escape one's destiny,' chuckled Kilgharrah._

_'How can it be my destiny to protect someone who hates me?' questioned Merlin._

Arthur winced.

_'A half cannot truly hate that which makes it whole. Very soon you shall learn that,' explained the great dragon in his usual mysterious way._

_'Oh, great. Just what I needed, another riddle,' snapped Merlin._

_'That your and Arthur's path lies together is but the truth,' said the wise dragon._

_'What is that supposed to mean?' questioned Merlin._

_'You know, young warlock, this is not the end. It is the beginning,' the Great Dragon flapped away._

'_Just give me a straight answer!' shouted Merlin._

_Merlin is now sitting on the steps outside the castle when Gwen approaches him._

'_Hello, Merlin,' she comes and sits beside him._

_'All right?' asks Merlin._

'Shouldn't it be Gwen asking that?' asked Elyan.

'Merlin cares more about others than himself,' explained Gaius.

'_Is it true what you said about Valiant using magic?' Gwen asks worriedly._

_Merlin nods._

_'What are you going to do?' asks Gwen in distress._

_'Why does everyone seem to think it's down to me to do something about it?' Merlin snaps at Gwen._

'Don't take it out on Gwen,' growls Arthur.

_'Because it is! Isn't it?' Gwen asks desperately, 'you have to show everyone that you were right and they were wrong,' said Gwen with certainty._

'You don't know how many times your advice has helped me,' smiled Merlin.

'_And how do I do that?' Merlin sighs._

_'I don't know,' admitted Gwen._

_Merlin looks towards a picture of a dog statue a look on his face that tells everyone an idea has occurred to him. 'That's it.'_

_'Where are you going?' Gwen asked in confusion as Merlin leapt up a spark of hope in his eyes._

_'Do you have a wheelbarrow?' asked Merlin randomly._

_Merlin wheels the dog in the wheelbarrow into the physician's chambers.#_

'_What are you doing with that?' Gaius asked in shock._

_'I'm going to let everyone see the snakes for themselves,' Merlin responded._

'So that's why they came out early,' said Sir Leon, 'I'd wondered why they came out so early. I didn't think any sorcerer would make it so obvious.'

_Merlin placed the dog on his floor and pulled out the magic book from under the floor board._

'_Bebay odothay. Bebay odothay arisan quickum,' Merlin incants._

'What?' asked Gwaine.

'I command you to rise up to life,' explained Merlin.

'_Bebay odothay arisan quickum. Bebay odothay arisan quickum,' Merlin repeats the spell._

_In Morgana's chambers the future enemy of Camelot is dreaming of Arthur and Valiant fighting. She sees the snakes. Waking up with a start she whispers, 'Arthur.' Getting up she watches as the prince trains in the courtyard on his own._

_Merlin tries to spell over and over again._

_Merlin gives up and ends up in Arthur's chambers._

'_I thought I told you to get out of my sight,' snapped Arthur._

_'Don't fight Valiant in the tournament tomorrow,' begged Merlin. 'He'll use the shield against you.'_

_'I know,' Arthur agreed._

_'Then withdraw. You have to withdraw,' Merlin begged._

_'Don't you understand? I can't withdraw. The people expect their prince to fight. How can I lead men into battle if they think I'm a coward?' asked Arthur shortly._

'That was when is started to see the prattiness was a cover for your good heart and the heavy weight that was being the future king,' said Merlin.

_'Valiant will kill you. If you fight, you die,' Merlin stated._

_'Then I die,' was all Arthur said._

'Arthur don't ever speak like that again,' said Gwen.

'The whole world will be down the drain if you die,' agreed Merlin.

'No pressure,' muttered Arthur.

_'How can you go out there and fight like that?' asked Merlin._

_'Because I have to. It's my duty,' replied Arthur._

_The next morning Merlin awakes and begins reciting once more._

_Valiant is sharpening his sword in the training grounds whilst Arthur is looking around._

_Arthur is being helped with his armour by Morris when Morgana enters. Morris bows and exits whilst Morgana begins to help her brother._

'_Let me,' said Morgana and begins to help him._

'I wish that we had helped her,' said Arthur.

'It wasn't your fault,' said Merlin, 'the blame lies between me and Uther.'

'Uther I understand but you?' asked Gwen.

Merlin's eyes darkened as he turned back to the box.

'_I used to help my father with his armour,' Morgana says handing Arthur his helmet with a sad look._

'_Thanks,' Arthur says and turns to leave his sister._

'_Arthur, be careful,' warns Morgana._

'She did care,' sighed Arthur.

_Arthur nodded, 'See you at the feast.'_

_Arthur and Valiant enter the arena put their helmets on and begin to fight with one another._

_Merlin is in his chambers with his eyes closed mumbling the incantation._

'_Bebay odothay arisan quickum,' Merlin murmured there is a growl but he doesn't notice._

'Why didn't you notice the growl?' asked Elyan.

'I had imagined that a lot,' shrugged Merlin.

'_Bebay odothay arisan quickum,' Merlin repeats but this time the dog barks. Merlin grins, 'I did it,' he yelled._

_The dog leaps at Merlin as Merlin leaves for Gaius's quarters and Gaius himself rushes into the room._

'_Arthur's fighting Valiant!' Gaius informs Merlin._

_'I know. I'm on my way. Oh, whatever you do, don't go into my room. We'll deal with it later,' Merlin instructs._

_Gaius looks at Merlin in shock then peering into Merlin's room sees the dog._

_Arthur fights Valiant managing to knock the helmet off the knight's head. Arthur pulls off his own helmet pulling off his head protection. Valiant is able to knock Arthur to the ground stepping on the Prince's shield. Valiant disarms Arthur who catches him before the man can strike. Valiant pins Arthur to the wall but Arthur shoves him away. Merlin takes the opportunity to work his magic._

'_Bebay odothay arisan quickum,' the snakes come out of the shield causing the crowd to stand up in their surprise._

'_What are you doing? I didn't summon you!' snarled the knight._

'No that was Merlin,' laughed Gwaine.

_'He is using magic,' Uther stood up._

'Well done genius,' Merlin rolled his eyes.

_'And now they see you for what you really are,' Arthur taunts._

_Valiant chuckled sending the snakes to the ground, 'kill him,' was all the corrupt knight said._

_Arthur backs up to the stands where Morgana grabs a sword from the side and flings it at with a shout of 'Arthur_!'_ Arthur catches it._

'Once she was saving my life,' murmured Arthur.

'And now she's trying to take it,' sighed Merlin.

_Arthur then kills the snakes and runs Valiant through with the sword._

'_It's looks like I'll be going to the feast after all,' whispered Arthur into Valiant's ear as he drops to the ground and the crowd cheers for there prince._

_Arthur enters the banquet hall where the courtiers are dining. Uther immediately spotted him._

'_My honourable guests, I give you Prince Arthur, your champion,' Uther presented his son as the court applauds and Arthur takes Morgana by the arm._

'_My Lady,' Arthur steers Morgana around the hall._

'My champion,' smiles Morgana.

'_See, I told you he gets all the girls and the glory,' Merlin comments to Gaius._

_'And he owes it all to you,' smiled Gaius proud._

_'Has your father apologised yet for not believing you?' questioned Morgana._

_'He'll never apologise._

'Just like you,' smirked Merlin.

_I hope, uh, you're not disappointed Valiant's not escorting you,' laughed Arthur._

_'Turns out he wasn't really champion material,' Morgana suggested._

_'That was some tournament final,' Arthur said._

'They've become the norm since Merlin got here,' muttered Arthur.

'That's why I came here,' Merlin replied.

'_Tell me about it. It's not every day a girl gets to save her prince,' Morgana commented._

_'Uh, I wouldn't say I needed exactly saving. I'm sure I would've thought of something' Arthur defends._

'Is that with or without Merlin's help?' asked Gwen.

Arthur didn't reply.

_'So you're too proud to admit you were saved by a girl,' Morgana said._

'Or a warlock,' added Merlin.

_'Because I wasn't,' Arthur states._

_'You know what? I wish Valiant was escorting me,' said an angry Morgana._

_'Me too. Then I wouldn't have to listen to you,' retorted Arthur._

'And you'd be dead,' said Gwaine drily.

_'Fine!' Morgana snapped._

_'Fine,' Arthur repeated._

_Morgana storms off to talk to Gwen. Arthur turns to Merlin._

_'Can you believe Morgana? She says she saved me. Like I needed any help._

'None at all,' Merlin shook his head.

_I wanted to say I made a mistake. It was unfair to sack you,' Arthur half apologized._

'Well your better at apologizing than Uther is,' Merlin consented.

_'No, don't worry about it. Buy me a drink and call it even,' Merlin suggested._

_'Uh, I can't be seen to be buying drinks for my servant,' Arthur reminded him._

_'Your servant? You sacked me,' snorted Merlin._

_'Now I'm rehiring you,' replied Arthur_

_.__  
><em>_Merlin snorted._

_'My chambers are a complete mess. My clothes need washing. My, uh, armour needs repairing. My boots need cleaning. My dogs need exercising. My fireplace needs sweeping. My bed needs changing. And someone needs to muck out my stables,' Arthur finished._

'Okay I'm going to make lunch now I wonder where?' Huinith started. 'Ah there's a note from M. saying that I'll find a plate of food in the kitchen.'

Huinith hurried back in with a plate of fruit and a plate of bread with ham slices.


	3. 3 the mark of niumanh

The Mark of Nimueh

The group crowded around the black box eating their food when the next show started.

_The dark witch Nimueh is in a cave with a bowl of water which she has her hand over._

'_Ic acennan eowic ac ic hredde eowic,' Nimueh enchanted._

'What did that mean?' Gwen asked thinking of her father.

'I give birth to you and I free you,' Merlin replied, 'and that was dark magic. Couldn't be anything but!' Merlin explained.

_Nimueh places the magical egg into the water fountain where it travels through the underground waterways. Nimueh then begins to scry on Camelot, 'Diegol cnytte, gewitte me yst, aliese hine, to Camelot he cymþ,' she says._

'What does that mean?' Gaius wondered.

'Illuminate the darkness, let me see through the rough water, free him, he comes to Camelot,' Merlin replied. 'Good spell I can do it decently.'

'So not dark magic then,' Arthur muttered.

'It's just scrying,' Merlin shrugged.

_In the Lower part of Camelot Merlin and Arthur are looking over a corpse on the street._

'_Aren't you sacred?' Merlin questioned his mentor._

_'Of what?' asked Gaius blankly._

_'That you might catch whatever it is,' Merlin suggested._

'_I'm the court physician, Merlin. This is part of my job. Most of the time there's nothing really to be scared of,' Gaius replied._

_They turn over the face to see the white eyed and white skinned face._

'_You were saying?' Merlin looked at the body._

'I could feel the dark magic on him,' said Merlin.

_'People mustn't see this. They'll panic,' Gaius quickly covered the man's body with a white sheet._

_In Gwen's house she and her father are getting ready for work._

'Father,' said Gwen softly.

'_Dad, here's your sandwich,' smiled the girl._

_'Ooh. Mmm, what's in it?' asked the smiling father._

_'It's smoked pigeon. But I'd say there's more smoke than pigeon,' Gwen said apologetically._

_Tom laughed, 'you're such a good girl to me.'_

_'And I've done you some watercress soup tonight,' added Gwen._

_'Don't tell me, with more water in it than cress?' laughed Tom._

_She laughs and the hug, 'I'll see you later.'_

_'OK. Bye,' Tom leaves._

_Merlin and Gaius are wheeling the body over the drawbridge when Gwen approached with flowers._

'_What are you doing?' Gwen asks._

_'Er...just moving something,' Merlin hesitates._

_'Looks heavy,' Gwen pointed out._

_'Er, it's nothing really. Er...someone got you flowers?' Merlin noticed the flowers in his friend's arms._

_'Oh! No.' She giggled, 'would you like one? A purple one. Purple suits you. Not that I'm saying red doesn't suit you,' Gwen got flustered._

_'Thanks. Well, er...' he sticks it in his jacket._

'_Aww,' Gwen smiles._

_'Er...see you,' Merlin moves off._

_'Bye,' Gwen leaves._

_Gwen enters Morgana's chambers with the flowers._

'_You look happy,' Morgana smiled at her maid._

'_I picked these for you,' Gwen hands Morgana the flowers._

_'Oh, that's so sweet,' smiled Morgana._

_'Something to cheer you up. I know you're not sleeping well,' Gwen said sadly._

Gaius and Merlin shared a look.

_'You cheer me up,' Morgana said._

'She used to be such a good friend,' said Gwen sadly.

_'Would you like me to put them in water for you?' asked Gwen._

_In Gaius' chambers Merlin and Gaius are looking at the body with a magnifying glass._

'_I've never seen anything like this before,' Gaius frowned._

_'Do you think it could be some kind of plague?' asked Merlin worried._

'Not as daft as you make out,' smiled Arthur.

'Well that's your father's fault,' pointed out Merlin shutting Arthur up.

'_No. I fear that something like this could never come from nature. But who has this kind of power?' Gaius asked._

_'You think it's caused by magic?' snapped Merlin._

_'Merlin!' Arthur calls from outside the door._

_Merlin hurriedly rushes to the door before Arthur can come in and see the body._

'_Erm...I'm on my way. Sorry I'm late,' Merlin said._

_'Don't worry. I'm getting used to it,' Arthur states then frowns when he see the flower on Merlin's coat._

_Merlin looks down at it too, '_Oh, er...Gwen, she gave it to me,' Merlin explained with a grin.

_'Tell Gaius my father wants to see him now,' Arthur orders._

_'Okay,' Merlin shrugged closing the door_

'_Gaius...' Merlin starts._

_'I heard,' Gaius said._

_'Wait, why couldn't he just tell you himself?' asks Merlin._

Arthur rolled his eyes, 'you're my servant it's your job.'

'You're starting to sound like Gaius,' Merlin complained.

_''Cause that's the way it is. You're a servant,' Gaius said._

'See,' Merlin says to his mentor and master.

_'Wha...if he knew who I was, what I've done...' Merlin begins._

'You'd be dead,' said Sir Leon.

'Now you're starting to sounding like Gaius,' Merlin rolled his eyes.

_'You'd be a dead servant. _

'See,' grinned Merlin.

'_Right, get this covered up,' Gaius tells Merlin._

_'Hey, I'm not your servant,' complained Merlin._

_'No, you're my dogsbody._

'So much better,' Merlin rolled his eyes grinning while everyone else laughed.

_Come on, hurry up,' said Gaius impatiently._

_In the council chamber Gaius examines a servant body lying dead on the floor because of Nimueh's curse._

'_What's happened to him?' asked the king._

_'I don't know, Sire. It's the second case I've seen today,' frowned Gaius._

_'Why didn't you report it to me?' snapped Uther._

_'I was attempting to find the cause,' Gaius began._

_'What did you conclude?' questioned the king._

_'I don't think it's time to hurry to conclusions. A scientific process is a long one,' Gaius replied._

_'What are you concealing from me?' Uther asked his friend._

'He really knows you well,' Merlin said.

_'Sire, I have seen nothing like it. The victims are dying in 24 hours, and it's spreading fast,' Gaius said grimly._

_'What is the cause?' asked Uther._

_'I think you should say that the cause, the most likely cause, is sorcery,' Gaius said grimly._

_Uther pulls Arthur aside, 'We must find who did this.'_

'Obviously,' Merlin rolled his eyes.

_'I will, father,' Arthur says._

_'Conduct door to door searches. Increase your presence in the town. Double the guards on all the gates. And lend the physician your servant,' says Arthur in a scared whisper._

_'Merlin? But...' Arthur trails off._

_'I'm going to need Gaius to find a cure. He needs all the help we can give him. If Gaius is right, believe me, this city will be wiped out. This is the kind of magic that undermines our authority, challenges all we've done. If we cannot control this plague, people will turn to magic for a cure. We have to find this sorcerer, and quickly,' said Uther._

'But not all magic is like that,' frowned Arthur.

'And a magical cure saved father…' Gwen trailed off. 'Merlin did you save me father's life?'

'I couldn't stand to watch you suffer,' said Merlin.

_'Yes, father,' said Arthur assuredly._

_Arthur and the guards are searching the town while Merlin and Gaius walk through the town. Merlin sees a sick man._

'_Gaius? Gaius. He's still alive,' Merlin says urgently._

_'I'm afraid there's nothing we can do for him,' Gaius said sadly._

_'But we haven't tried,' Merlin said._

_'If we don't know what a disease is, then how can we cure him?' asks Gaius._

_'With magic,' said Merlin in a whisper._

_'Have a look. They're suspicious of everyone,' Gaius said quietly. 'This is not the time to be using magic. Science will lead us to the source of the disease.'_

'How many lives would be saved if magic wasn't against the law?' asked Arthur.

'Probably all of them,' said Merlin. 'Nimueh wouldn't have lashed out at Camelot if not for that.'

_At Gaius' workbench he is heating up a vial of liquid._

'_What are you doing?' asks Merlin._

_'I'm examining the contents of that man's stomach,' replied Gaius._

_'Will that tell you who did it?' asks Merlin._

_'No, but it might tell us how it's spread. One thing I do know, this is magic of the darkest kind,' said Gaius sadly._

'I know I could feel it,' Merlin muttered.

_'Why would someone use magic like that?' asked Merlin._

_'Magic corrupts. People use it for their own ends,' said Gaius._

'You've been listening to Uther for too long,' said Huinith. 'Before the purge and magic users became so scared and bitter few people used it like that.'

_'But not all magic is bad. I know it isn't,' said Merlin angrily._

_'It's neither good nor bad. Its how you use it,' replied Gaius._

_Arthur and his guards burst into their chambers, 'Over there,' he order his guards. 'Sorry Gaius, we're searching every room in town,' said Arthur apologetically to the old man._

_'What for?' asked Gaius._

_'A sorcerer,' replied Arthur._

_'But why would he be here?' asked Gaius._

'Oh you know being the dogsbody,' smirked Merlin.

'I'm just doing my job,' replied Arthur apologetically.

_'We've nothing to hide._

'Nothing at all,' laughed Gwaine.

'_Go on, then. Search,' allowed Gaius._

_'All these books and papers?' Arthur looked around the bookshelves._

_'My life's work, dedicated to the understanding of science._

'And magic,' added in Merlin.

_You are quite welcome to read through them if you wish,' Gaius invited Arthur._

_'What's this room up here?' asks Arthur._

_'Er, it's mine,' Merlin says._

_'And what do you expect to find in there?' Gaius demands._

_'I'm looking for material or evidence suggesting the use of enchantments,' Arthur replied._

_'What've you done with the magic book I gave you?' whispers Gaius._

_Merlin looks worried as Arthur enters his room._

_'Merlin, come here. Look what I found,' Arthur calls to him._

_Merlin looks scared as he ascends the staircase._

'_I found a place where you can put things. It's called a cupboard,' said Arthur in his usual insulting manner._

'How would you know?' asks Merlin. 'You use your poor servants to put away all your stuff!'

_Arthur spots the book and Merlin magically covers the book with the bed sheet as Arthur looks under the bed. Then deciding there's nothing there the prince leaves the warlock's chambers._

'_How long do you think it may be before you find a cure?' asks Arthur._

_'It depends on how many interruptions I get,' said Gaius pointedly._

_'Of course, I'm sorry,' he apologizes to Gaius. 'We're finished here,' said Arthur to guards who exit._

_Gaius closes the door, 'We have to hide that book.'_

_'No. We must use it,' Merlin said urgently._

_'Don't be stupid,' snaps Gaius._

_'If I have this legacy then what is it for? You keep telling me it's not for playing tricks,' Merlin points out._

'He has a point,' said Huinith.

_'You want to practice magic when the King is hunting for sorcerers? Are you mad? Merlin, your life is destined for more important things,' Gaius said._

_'But if I don't practice, then how will I get to be this great warlock?' Merlin points out._

_'There will come a time when your skills will be recognised,' said Gaius softly._

'Like now,' smiled Gwen.

_'When? How long do I have to wait?' said Merlin impatiently._

_'Patience is a virtue, Merlin,' Gaius taught the boy._

_'Sitting by and doing nothing, that's a virtue?' snapped Merlin._

_'Your time will come,' Gaius said._

_'I could cure that man we saw,' said Merlin._

_'I know it's tempting to use the way you find easiest, Merlin...' began Gaius._

_'It is when it would save a life,' Merlin interrupted._

_'It's no good just saving one person. We have to discover how this illness is spreading,' Gaius explained._

_'Arthur is out there right now looking for the sorcerer!' pointed out Merlin._

'Who isn't even in Camelot,' said Elyan.

_'A sorcerer who's powerful enough to do this will never be found searching the town,' Gaius said sadly._

_Merlin sighed, 'so what can we do?'_

_'Hope that science can find the answer before it kills us all,' Gaius sad glad that Merlin – for once – was listening to him._

_Nimueh watches Camelot from her basin as a woman draws water from the basin. Arthur walks past the covered bodies lining the courtyard to report to his father._

'_We searched everywhere, the entire city,' Arthur reports._

_'Nothing?' asked Uther._

_'I don't know where else to look,' replied Merlin._

_'I want you to impose a curfew. No one is to be allowed onto the streets after the great bell,' Uther decides._

_'Father?' Arthur asked._

_'And cordon off the lower town,' Uther orders._

_'Why?' asked Uther._

_'Because that's where most of the victims are. Let's isolate it, stop this disease from spreading,' Uther says._

'That's not going to help,' sighed Gaius.

'_What about the people who live there?' Arthur asked._

_'Don't you think I haven't considered it? What else can I do? I have to protect the rest of the city,' Uther said._

'Incidentally the higher class of people,' muttered Gwaine.

_Arthur bows to his father and exits._

_Merlin and Gaius are in the physician's chamber examining yet another body._

'_What's different about this victim?' asked Gaius._

_'Er...she's a woman,' Merlin said._

_'Sometimes I do wonder whether you're a magical talents were given to the right person. Anything else?' Gaius asks again._

_'Erm...she's a courtier,' Merlin said._

_'Ah,' this is the point that Gaius wants._

_'How does that help us?' Merlin asks._

_'Courtiers seldom go down to the lower town. So what does that mean?' asks Gaius._

_'Erm...that, that she hasn't spoken to any townspeople,' Merlin suggests._

_Gaius has a pained look on his face at Merlin's stupidity, 'Yes, it suggests that the disease is not spread by contact.'_

_'Oh, and they probably ate different food,' Merlin adds._

_'Good. Anything else?' Gaius satisfied that Merlin is reaching the same conclusion Gaius has._

_'Erm...I doubt they breathe the same air,' adds Merlin._

_'So what's the only thing they do share?' asks Gaius._

_Merlin thinks, 'water. Water? You think the disease is spread through water?'_

_'Merlin, you're a prodigy,' said Gaius when Merlin finally got there handing Merlin a bucket._

_Merlin heads off to the water well._

_Gwen has tied up her cloak just about to head out._

'_It's time to get up, Dad. Dad?' Gwen has realised that Tom is not responding she turns him over._

'_Gwen,' Tom slurred his face and eyes white. He too is ill._

_Gwen panics; crying she rushes to castle. Merlin is carrying a pail of water when he notices his friend, 'Gwen? Gwen!' he shouts going after her with the bucket of water._

_Gwen rushes into Gaius' chambers._

'_Gwen!' Gaius seems surprised to see her there._

_'Gaius,' she calls in pain._

_'You have the sickness?' Gaius said._

_Gwen shakes her head, 'My father! Please, Gaius, he's all I have.'_

_'Gwen, I have no cure,' said Gaius sadly._

_'I am begging you!' Gwen begs._

_'I wish there was something, anything, but so far the remedy is beyond what I can achieve,' Gaius sighed taking her by the hand. 'I'm sorry, Gwen_.'

'You could have allowed Merlin to save him,' Gwen pointed out.

_Gwen runs off._

'_There must be something we can do,' Merlin says._

'_My best. Let's hope that this can provide some answers,' Gaius snaps._

_'But that'll be too late for Gwen's father,' Merlin points out._

Gwen whimpered Arthur put an arm around her. Elyan looked sad having not heard this tale. The siblings didn't like talking about their father is they could help it.

_'I fear you may be right,' sighed Gaius putting a flower into a cup of water._

_Merlin checks to see that Gaius is really sleeping before he sneaks off with his magic book going past the guards._

'_What about over...in there?' one guard points._

_'Certainly, sir,' said the junior guard._

_They approach the spot where Merlin is hiding._

'_Onstyrian, onbregdan,' Merlin whispers._

'What?' questioned Gwaine.

'Move here,' replied Merlin.

_The door across the street opens and hits the younger guard in the face._

Gwaine bursts out laughing, 'you're going to have to teach me that.'

'I wouldn't do that,' said Merlin.

'Why not?' asked Arthur.

'To live with fear of being executed day in day out I'd never do that to someone who had a choice!' Merlin said.

_Merlin is seen entering Gwen's home where Gwen and Tom are sleeping. He places the poltice under Tom's pillow with a whisper of, 'þu fornimst adl fram guman,' Merlin said from outside Gwen's._

'I know it's a healing spell but what does it mean?' asked Gwen.

'Remove sickness from this man,' replied Merlin.

Gwen nodded.

_Tom awakes and touches Gwen's head who had fallen asleep tending to her father. Gwen wakes up at the touch._

'_Father?' asks Gwen._

_'Gwen,' smiles Tom._

_'What's happened? I can't believe it!' said an overjoyed Gwen giving her father a huge hug._

_More bodies are lain out in the square as Nimueh watches from her stone basin._

_In the council chambers Arthur reaches for the glass vial with the tainted water and flower in it._

'_Don't touch it,' Gaius warns. 'I had this in the water for no more than a few hours.'_

_'Where's the water from?' Uther asks._

_'The pump from where the people take their daily supply,' replied Gaius._

_'We have to stop the people from using it,' Arthur said._

_'The city cannot survive without water,' Gaius points out._

'_We have to find this sorcerer!' demands Uther._

'What happened to Nimueh?' asked Arthur. 'We haven't hear anything of her for years!'

'She's dead,' said Merlin a little bit sharply.

'How do you know?' asked Arthur.

'You don't want to see me in a bad mood,' replied Merlin.

'What?' asked Arthur.

'You killed her,' said Percival.

'Long story,' replied Merlin.

_'I don't believe that they're inside Camelot,' said Arthur._

_'Then extend the search to the villages!' Uther ordered._

_'We've started, but I can't search the entire kingdom,' began Arthur._

_'And I can't stand by and watch our people dying,' snapped the king._

_Arthur nods and exits._

_Merlin enters to see Gwen humming in Morgana's chambers as she tidies away the clothes._

'_How's your father? Is he feeling better?' Merlin asks knowledgeably._

'I don't know how I didn't figure it out,' groaned Gwen.

'_Yeah, it's incredible. It's a miracle,' said Gwen happily._

'Or magic,' smiled Percival.

_'His skin's clear, back to normal?' asked Merlin._

_'Yes,' grinned Gwen._

_'Great,' said Merlin with his trademark grin._

_'You don't seem surprised,' Gwen realised._

_'No, no, I am. It's a miracle,' Merlin's eyes where twinkling with hidden knowledge._

_'But how did you know he was well?' asked Gwen._

_'Er...because you're smiling,' Merlin stuttered._

_'That's really weird because I haven't told anyone, but you know. How could you know?' Gwen asked suspiciously._

_'Yeah. Alright. You finally found out, I'll tell you._

'You knew and you never told me!' said Arthur hurt.

'Of course I didn't,' snapped Gwen.

_Merlin swallows, 'I'm psychic. '_

_Gwen giggles, 'No you're not.'_

_'It's true,' Merlin claimed._

_'Alright, what am I thinking?' asked Gwen._

_'That I'm not psychic,' Merlin guesses._

_Gwen giggles again, 'you're strange. I, I don't mean that in a nasty way. You're just funny. I like that.'_

_'Erm, er, I 'm pleased for you,' Merlin smiles._

_'Thank you,' Gwen said._

_'What for?' asks Merlin._

_'Don't know, just for asking,' replied Gwen._

'I think subconsciously I knew it was Merlin,' Gwen said soflty.

_'I didn't like to see you upset,' Merlin explains._

'Which is why you healed him,' said Gwen.

Merlin nodded.

_I have to...get on.'_

_Merlin waves and Gwen waves back with a smile on her face at Merlin's retreating back_

_Tom is working at the forge with the townspeople watching him when Arthur and his guards approach._

'_The story is you were sick,' Arthur confronts Tom._

_'Not anymore,' said Tom pleasantly._

_'Perhaps you were suffering from some other ailment?' questioned Arthur._

_'Oh, you're joking. I felt like death itself, not enough strength in me to stir the air,' Tom shook his head._

_'Then...what happened?' questioned Arthur._

_'Oh, I don't know. Suddenly it was gone. I'm fitter than I was before,' Tom said._

'Really wonder why that was,' Merlin seemed genuinely surprised.

'Probably just your power,' shrugged Gaius.

_'That's remarkable. Was anybody with you when all this happened?' Arthur asked._

_'Just my daughter, Gwen,' Tom said._

_Arthur leaves Tom to go back to his work. He takes his guards to search Gwen's house where they find a glowing poultice._

'I should have removed it,' sighed Merlin. 'Sorry.'

'Don't,' Gwen said, 'you saved Father's life!'

_Gwen is humming in Morgana's chambers as she carries away a vase of dead flowers._

'_Seize her,' Arthur ordered._

'Sorry,' Arthur and Merlin say together.

'You were doing your job, Arthur. And Merlin don't apologize for saving people's lives!' ordered Gwen.

_'No,' Gwen cried._

_'Guinevere, I'm arresting you for crimes and contraventions of the laws of Camelot,_

'That are wrong,' muttered Merlin.

'I know said Arthur.

_that you did practice enchantments,' Arthur finished._

_Morgana too enters the room, 'Gwen?' Morgana rushes to see her maid being dragged away,_

_'But what have I done? I haven't done anything! Help me, please!' the maid begged._

Merlin opened his mouth but a look on Gwen's face quickly shut it again.

'_What are you doing?' the lady demanded._

_'I found a magic poultice in her house,' explained Arthur._

_'Oh, that's ridiculous,' snapped Morgana._

_'Then how else do you explain her father's recovery?' asked Arthur._

Merlin winced.

_'Well, she's innocent! I know she's innocent,' Morgana said._

_'What can I do? I can't turn a blind eye!' Arthur said leaving the room._

_Morgana scoffed._

_Arthur and the guards drag Gwen in front of her father._

'_No, please. You've got to listen to me! Please, I haven't done anything wrong! You have to listen to me, please! I am innocent, I swear! Let me go! I swear to you!' begged Gwen._

'You know last time you almost got executed for being a sorceress you didn't beg,' said Merlin.

_Gwen turns to see Merlin approaching her._

'_Merlin! Merlin, please help me!' she begged Merlin before turning to the guards restraining her, 'why won't you listen to me?' she cried._

_Merlin and Gaius enter there living quarters with Gaius slamming the door hard._

'_What've you done?' Gaius demanded._

_'What?' Merlin started._

_'I warned you! Oh, I understand. You thought you were doing good,' snapped Gaius._

_'I couldn't let her father die knowing I could cure him,' Merlin said._

_'Didn't you think it might look a bit suspicious, the curing of one man?' asked Gaius._

_'Well then, all I have to do is...I'll cure everyone! No one will ever have to know it was magic,' said Merlin desperately._

_'It's too late! They think Gwen's a sorceress! They think she caused the disease!' Gaius explained._

_'But she didn't!' Merlin rushed to leave._

'_Oh, and how are you going to prove that?' snapped Gaius._

_Merlin stops and frowns, a grim look on his usual innocent face._

_In the council chambers Arthur appears before his father his guards dragging Gwen behind him._

'_Please listen to me I have done nothing, please! I swear I haven't done anything!' Gwen says as the guards fling her onto the floor before the king._

'_Well done,' Uther says to Arthur._

_'Why will no one believe me? He got better, he just recovered. I didn't do anything!' sobs Gwen._

_Morgana enters to Gwen's pleas. 'I believe you. Perhaps this is a disease that is not always fatal. Have you thought of that? Perhaps he recovered naturally,' Morgana pointed out._

'Unfortunately not,' said Gaius grimly.

_'And what of this poultice that was found?' Uther questioned._

_'What poultice? I don't know anything about a poultice!' Gwen stuttered._

Merlin winced.

_'It was found in your house. Undo this enchantment. Put an end to this contagion,' the king commanded._

_'I can't!' cried Gwen._

_'I will show you no mercy,' the king said._

Merlin snorted, 'soon as you'd got what you wanted you'd kill her just like …' Merlin trailed off.

'Has father hurt you?' asked Arthur.

Merlin didn't reply not wanting to go into his father's tale.

_'I am not a witch. I don't know how to stop the illness!' Gwen defended._

_'If you will not undo your sorcery, you force my hand and I must find you guilty...' Uther decreed._

_'But I told you, I...' Gwen began._

_'It is therefore my duty to pronounce judgment. And under the circumstance I have no choice but to sentence you to death,' Uther sentenced._

_'No!' cried Gwen._

_'I can only hope that when you die, this evil plague dies with you,' Uther said._

_'No! No!' Gwen begged._

_'Take her away,' Uther commanded the guards who drag Gwen back out of the court room_

'_Please, no! I'm innocent! Please, please, no! Please help me! Please, I beg you! No!' Gwen cried as she was dragged away as Morgana watches._

_The courtiers leave._

'_I know Gwen, she's my maidservant, not an enchantress,' Morgana begged._

'What happened to her?' asked Gwen.

'Bitterness and the feeling that she couldn't be loved because of what she was,' said Merlin, 'and as much as I tried to stop it I just couldn't!'

_'Have you ever seen an enchantress?' Uther snapped, 'believe me, they bear no sign, no mark. There is no sense of evil in the eye.'_

Merlin rolled his eyes, 'the only sorceress you know personally was Nimueh and you killed her nine year old son – who didn't even possess magic – destroying her internally.'

Arthur was shocked at the anger which Merlin talked but was getting the picture of the way the magical population was treated.

_'I've seen the way the girl works. Her fingers are worn, her nails are broken. If she was a sorceress, why would she do this?'_

'Too keep up the appearance,' replied Merlin.

_Why would she kneel on a cold stone floor morning after morning when she could make these things happen with a snap of her fingers? Like an idle king!' Morgana said._

_'You have no right!' snarled the king._

_'You have a right to cast a judgment on that girl!' retorted Morgana._

'They are far too alike,' said Merlin.

_'I have a responsibility to take care of this kingdom! I take no pleasure in this!' Uther replied._

_'But you're sentencing the wrong person!' begged Morgana._

_'She's right, Father. You hear the word magic, you no longer listen,' Arthur argued back._

'Thanks,' said Merlin.

'It's what I've always believed,' shrugged Arthur, 'it's a never ending circle; father kills them, they look for revenge, he thinks there all evil, kills them and so on.'

_'You saw it for yourself. She used enchantments,' Uther shouted._

_'Yes, maybe. But to save her dying father, that doesn't make her guilty of creating a plague. One's the act of, of kindness, of love, the other of evil. I don't believe evil's in this girl's heart.' Arthur defended the future queen._

_'I have witnessed what witchcraft can do. I have suffered at its hand._

'That was your own fault,' muttered Merlin too quietly for anyone without better hearing than average to hear.

_I cannot take that chance. If there is the slightest doubt about this girl, she must die or the whole kingdom may perish,' Uther said._

'That is just wrong,' said Lancelot looking very tense at the fact that Gwen almost died.

_'I understand that,' Arthur agreed._

_'One day you may become King. Then you will understand. Such decisions must be made. There are dark forces that threaten this kingdom,' Uther said._

'But Gwen and magic aren't necessary one of them,' said Merlin.

_'I know. Witchcraft is an evil, father. So is injustice. Yes, I am yet to be King, and I don't know what kind of king I will be, but I do have a sense of the kind of Camelot I would wish to live in. It would be where the punishment fits the crime,' Arthur said._

'Another piece of evidence that you are the Once and Future King,' said Merlin.

_'I fear you're right. She's played with fire, and sadly she must die by fire,' decided Uther._

_Morgana leaves and Arthur starts pacing the chamber._

_Merlin and Gaius are in Gaius' chambers._

'_I thought I was doing good and that curing Gwen's father would help her. I thought I was saving a life. It seemed so simple,' Merlin said sadly._

_'An easy solution is like a light in a storm,_

'Considering I can cause lightening that's not the greatest metaphor,' muttered Merlin.

Arthur raised his eyebrows and Merlin shrugged.

_Merlin. Rush for it at your peril, for it may not always lead you to a safe harbour,' said Gaius._

_'I can see that now,' said Merlin quietly._

'_How many times have I warned you about the responsibilities of being a warlock?' scolded Gaius._

'Now's not the time for a scolding,' sighed Huinith, 'he understands he made a mistake but it was for the right reason. And he's upset what he needs is comfort.'

_'I must see her,' Merlin decided getting up and leaving. He passes Morgana who was crying on her way back from seeing Gwen._

'_Gwen,' Merlin whispers to Gwen who was lying facing the wall of her cell._

_Gwen turns around to see him and tries to get to the cell but the chains restrict her. Merlin sees she's been crying._

'If she was an evil sorcerer powerful enough to cause the plague she would be out of the cell by now,' snorted Merlin.

'But you've been in the cells often enough,' pointed out Arthur.

Merlin gave Arthur a look between amused, pitying, and not wanting to hurt his feelings, 'I let you,' he replied.

'_Thank you,' said Gwen softly._

_'What for?' asks Merlin._

_'For coming to see me,' Gwen says._

'You think he wouldn't?' asked Huinith.

'We'd know each other less than a month and I'd been accused of being an evil sorcerer,' said Gwen.

'I know you,' said Merlin.

'And you were busy helping Gaius,' reminded Gwen.

Merlin nodded.

_'I'm sorry,' Merlin looked pained._

'_It's not your fault,' Gwen assured him._

'It really wasn't; you saved my father's life,' smiled Gwen.

_'Well...' Merlin trailed off._

_'It's alright._

'No its not,' said Huinith, 'even if you had used magic to save your dying father you shouldn't be sentenced to death for it!'

_Don't worry about me. There's no point crying about it. I mean...I mean, I'm not saying that you were going to cry about me. _

'Of course he would you know Merlin he's a big girl,' smirked Arthur and move instantly lightened.

_Obviously I don't think that,' Gwen assured him._

_'Oh, Gwen,' sighed Merlin. 'I can't have this happen.'_

_'Please, one thing. You, you don't have to, but...' Gwen stopped._

_'What?' asked Merlin._

'_Remember me,' the girl asked._

'_You're not going to die. I'm not going to let this happen,' said Merlin a determined look on his face. Merlin runs off._

'This is when you admitted to being a sorcerer,' said Arthur.

'He's not even a sorcerer,' smiled Huinith. 'He's a warlock,' she smiled at her son.

_In the council chambers Uther is talking to his advisors including Gaius._

'_What if burning this witch doesn't stop the poison? How do I protect my people? My men have closed down the water pumps,' Uther was saying._

_'But the emergency supply won't last for much longer. We have to find a way of cleansing the water of the disease,' Gaius offered._

_'But how?' asked Uther._

_'Well...' Gaius was obviously unclear._

_The doors suddenly open and Merlin comes bursting in._

'Nothing like a dramatic entrance Warlock,' laughed Gwaine.

'Well it's me I'm nothing if not dramatic,' smiled Merlin.

'I don't want to know,' said Huinith.

'_It was me! It was me who used magic to cure Gwen's father!' Merlin announced to court as a whole._

'See I did tell you the truth – once,' Merlin grinned at Arthur.

_The council stares as Merlin as if he were mad._

'_Gwen is not the sorcerer. I am!' Merlin proclaimed once again._

'Never, ever give up your life for me,' Gwen shouted.

_Gaius stood up, 'Merlin! Are you mad?' Gaius hisses._

_'I cannot let her die for me,' Merlin addresses Uther. 'I place myself at your mercy.'_

'Not a safe place for anyone,' muttered Gwen thinking of her father.

_'He doesn't know what he's talking about,' Gaius said._

'Just make me seem mad why don't you,' Merlin rolled his eyes.

'You are mad,' said Gwaine.

'I do,' Merlin said confidently.

_'Then arrest him,' ordered Uther._

'I could easily brake out of there,' Merlin rolled his eyes.

_'Father, please! I can't allow this! This is madness! There's no way Merlin is a sorcerer,' said Arthur with confidence._

Arthur buried his face in his hands embarrassed, 'nah a warlock,' laughed Merlin.

_'Did you not hear him?' Uther questioned._

_'Yes,' agreed Arthur._

_'He admitted it,' Uther pointed out._

_'He saved my life, remember,' Arthur reminded his father._

'Several times,' said Merlin.

_'Why should he fabricate such a story,' asked Uther._

_'As Gaius said, he's got a...grave mental disease,' Arthur stuttered._

'_Very believable,' muttered Elyan._

_'Really?' Uther didn't look like he believed._

_'He's in love,' said Arthur suddenly._

_'What?' asked Merlin in shock._

_'With Gwen,' he said._

'That's believable Gwen's a very pretty lady,' said Gwaine earning glares from Arthur, Lancelot, and Elyan.

_Uther grinned at his son's statement._

'That's something I never thought I'd see Uther grinning at me when I announced that I have magic,' said Merlin.

'_I am not,' said an embarrassed Merlin._

'You better not be,' threatened Arthur.

'I've only been in love with one girl and she wasn't a maid,' replied Merlin.

'Oh who?' said Gwaine, 'do I get to meet her?'

Merlin's eyes hardened, 'she's dead,' snapped the warlock a gust of wind surrounding him.

'Oh Merlin,' murmured Huinith putting an arm around the boy's shoulder.

Arthur looked jealous of the mother-son interaction.

_'Yes, you are,' Arthur decided._

_'No way,' said Merlin._

'Thanks,' muttered Gwen.

'You're more of a sister,' said Merlin.

'I've already got one brother,' said Gwen throwing a glance at her brother.

_'I saw yesterday with that flower she'd given you,' Arthur reminded him._

'_I'm not in love with her,' said Merlin angrily._

_Arthur puts an arm around his servant._

'I'm surprised your father didn't say anything at the interaction of supposed master and servant,' said Sir Leon.

'I think the idea of being friends with a servant is such a foreign idea to my father that it didn't even cross his mind,' said Arthur.

'_It's alright. You can admit it,' Arthur assured his servant in a brotherly fashion._

_'I don't even think of her like that!' Merlin defended himself once again._

_'Perhaps she cast a spell on you,' Uther said._

_Arthur's smile died instantly and Arthur and Merlin shared a worried look before Uther cracked a smile at Merlin's expense. The other council members join in with the king's laughter._

'_Merlin is a wonder, but the wonder is that he's such an idiot. There's no way he's a sorcerer,' said Arthur._

'Well that's that idea out of the picture,' Arthur said looking embarrassed.

_'Don't waste my time again. Let him go,' Uther ordered._

'You must be the first sorcerer to be let go by father,' said Arthur.

Merlin nodded sadly.

_Merlin and Gaius have returned to Gaius' chambers where Gaius is berating Merlin for announcing to everyone that he was a sorcerer._

'_Arthur's the idiot,' Merlin said decidedly._

'Oi I just saved your life,' said Arthur.

_'No. He was right to do what he did. And, thankfully, he saved you from your own stupidity,' Gaius said._

_'What else could I do? It's my fault Gwen's going to die,' Merlin protested._

'I thought we went over this. It. Was. Not. Your. Fault.' Gwen groaned.

'Well it was,' Gaius said.

_'Yes, but you don't prove her innocence by offering to jump into the flames. You do it by finding out what's causing the disease!' Gaius instructed._

'He's right,' said Arthur.

_'Well, whatever it is, one thing's for sure: Arthur isn't going to find it. He thinks he is so sharp! But even when I told him I was a wizard, he still couldn't see it,' Merlin pointed out._

_'Sometimes they're pretty hard to spot,' Gaius said knowledgably._

'That's because we're all human so you can't tell which is which because there's no difference but the magic that you are either born with or learn,' said Merlin.

_'Well, maybe I should go around wearing a pointy hat,' suggested Merlin._

_'I don't think you'll find one big enough. Anyway, forget that. If we're going to save Gwen, we have to find out what's contaminating the water,' Gaius said._

_Gaius and Merlin head to the underground water supply all the time watched by Nimueh._

'_The water from here supplies the whole town. Take a sample,' Gaius told Merlin. Merlin puts the bottle in the water and takes a sample, 'Let's take it back and examine it.'_

_That was when the large brown Afanc reared up._

'That was the Afanc?' said Gwen shakily.

'Let's go and fight it,' laughed Gwaine.

'I aready killed it,' said Arthur.

'We,' muttered Merlin.

'Well we Merlin can make another one,' said Gwaine.

'I am not under any circumstances using dark magic!' Merlin glared at Gwaine in the way that he could when he wanted to get his point across with power and fury which made even the bravest knights (Arthur) or stupidest (Gwaine) back down.

'_What the hell was that?' asks Merlin shakily as Gaius takes Merlin by the arm and steers him away._

'Good get him out of there,' said Huinith.

'Scared of the nasty Afanc, are we Merlin,' said Arthur.

'Arthur,' said Gwen warningly.

'More the fact that it reeked of dark magic,' murmured Merlin.

'You can sense it?' asked Gwen.

'Always and it will always feel wrong,' said Merlin.

_Back in Gaius' chambers Merlin and Gaius are poring over an open book._

'_Here. It was an Afanc,' Gaius was saying._

_'An...a what?' Merlin had never heard of such a creature._

_'A beast born of clay, and conjured up only by the most powerful sorcerer._

'Could you-?' Arthur began.

'Probably but I've never tried,' said Merlin, 'and no Gwaine I will not conjure up dark magic because its better not to play with stuff you don't understand! That's what got us into this situation in the first place!'

Only Gaius understood his meaning there.

_Now we have to find a way to defeat it. But where?' Gaius looked at his bookshelves._

'You know I know some of those books of by heart,' muttered Merlin.

'_That could take days. Gwen'll be dead by then,' said Merlin._

'How did you find out so quickly?' asked Arthur.

'I've got friends in low places,' said Merlin cryptically.

_'Have you got a better idea?' Gaius questions him._

_Merlin runs off seeing Gwen lying on the floor not facing her pyre, 'Gwen? I'm going to get you out. I will,' he whisperers when Gwen doesn't turn around he leaves._

_Merlin re-enters the dragon's cave._

'_Hello?' Merlin calls out._

_'Hello,' the Great Dragon responds to the little boy. 'The great warlock returns, as I knew he would.'_

'Does he ever call you by your name?' asks Lancelot.

'No – it's already young warlock or Great warlock or something. Wait before we met he called me Merlin to get my attention,' Merlin remembered.

_'I need to know how to defeat an Afanc,' Merlin told the dragon._

_'Yes, I suppose you do,' agreed the dragon._

_'Will you help me?' asked Merlin._

_'Trust the elements that are at your command,' replied the dragon ever the riddle master._

'Could he be any more cryptic?' complained Arthur.

'That's Kilgharrah for you,' smirked Merlin.

'What does he mean anyway?' asked Elyan.

Merlin sighed, 'forbane,' and a flame appeared in his hands. He waved his hands and a wind came forth followed by water surrounding him and finally when he jumped off his seat the sound of the earth rumbling beneath them was heard. 'I control the elements.'

_'Elements? But what is it I have to do?' said Merlin sounding frustrated._

_'You cannot do this alone. You are but one side of a coin. Arthur is the other,' Kilgharrah advised Merlin._

_'I, I don't understand. Just tell me what it is I have to do,' pleaded Merlin._

_Kilgharrah flew off having imparted his advice. _

'_No! Please, help me!' Merlin begged._

_Kilgharrah laughed, 'I have.' _

_'Oh, yeah, right. Thanks,' said Merlin sarcastically._

_Arthur enters the council chambers where he meets his father, 'Have you found anything more?' the king asked his son._

_'I've tried. I can keep looking,' Arthur responds._

_'People are dying, we can't delay any longer. We must kill the witch. _

'He sounds like Kilgharrah,' muttered Merlin.

'What?' asked Gwen.

Merlin shook his head mind on his enemy.

_Bring her execution forward to tonight,' decided the king._

_Arthur bows his head and leaves his father._

_Merlin is frantically searching through the books._

'_Merlin, what are you doing?' Gaius demands._

_'Looking for a book,' Merlin stated._

'Obviously,' said Arthur drily.

_'You going to tell me which one?' asks Gaius._

_'A book on elements,' explains Merlin._

_'Elements?' Gaius questions._

_'Yes. Which one would I find them in?' Merlin asks._

_'Well, most of them. The study of base elements is at the very heart of the scientific process,' explained Gaius._

_'But how would they help me kill the Afanc?' Merlin asked._

_'Well, the Afanc is a creature made from earth and water. That's two of the four base elements,' Gaius explained._

_'What about the other two?' Merlin asked._

_'Well, perhaps they will destroy it. You want fire. Wind and fire. How did you find this out?' Gaius questions._

_'Erm...I just knew, you know? One of my powers,' Merlin lies._

'Did you actually believe him?' asked Huinith.

'I suspected he and The Great Dragon where talking they're both creatures of old magic – kin if you like,' explained Gaius.

_'What else do your powers tell you?' Gaius asked._

_'That I am only one side of a coin. The brighter side, obviously,' Merlin grinned._

'_And who's the other side?' Gaius looked like he already knew._

_'I think that might be Arthur,' said a disgruntled warlock._

_'They're bringing forward the execution. We have to prove Gwen's innocence,' Morgana rushed into the room._

Everyone sighed, 'okay what's the problem with this Morgana?' asks Huinith the only one who wasn't there to see what Morgana became, 'every time she appears you all become sad or angry.'

'She has magic,' said Merlin.

'So do you,' Huinith reminded him.

'Morgana didn't use them for good,' said Gaius.

'What happened?' asked Huinith.

'She took over Camelot,' growled Arthur looking hurt.

'_We're trying,' Gaius said._

_'Please, just tell me what I can do to help,' Morgana said._

'She doesn't seem too bad,' said Huinith.

'She was driven over the edge by Uther's hatred of our kind,' said Merlin. 'I tried to stop it but I couldn't stop her.'

_'We need Arthur,' Merlin told Morgana._

_'Arthur?' asked Morgana._

_'There's a monster, an Afanc, in the water supply. That's what's causing the plague,' said Merlin._

_'Well, we must tell Uther,' Morgana said._

_'The Afanc's a creature forged by magic. Telling Uther wouldn't save Gwen. He'd just blame her for conjuring it,' said Gaius._

_'So what are we to do?' Morgana asked._

_'We need to destroy it. Then the plague will stop and Uther may see sense,' Merlin said._

'Not likely,' muttered Gaius.

'_And that's why you need Arthur,' Morgana understood._

_'He's our best chance. But he won't want to disobey the King,' Merlin said._

_'Leave that to me,' Morgana left Merlin to see Arthur._

_Gaius hands Merlin the keys to the water supply tunnels._

_Morgana is waiting for Arthur when he enters his own chambers._

'_You alright?' Arthur asks kindly. 'Sorry about all this,' Arthur indicates the mess on the table. 'Merlin's not been in today.'_

_'Poor Merlin,' said Morgana sympathetically._

_'Yeah,' agreed Arthur._

_'To offer to give up his life to save Gwen's. I certainly can't imagine any man loving me so much,' Morgana said._

_'No, I certainly can't imagine that either,' agreed Arthur._

_Morgana smirked at her brother, 'That's because you're not like Merlin. He's a lover.'_

'Yeah right,' laughed Arthur.

'Well I was going to run away with Freya,' admitted Merlin.

Gaius looked surprised he hadn't heard this.

'What happened to her?' asked Arthur.

Merlin shook his head.

_'Yeah, maybe that's because I haven't found the right person to love,' Arthur told her._

'I have now,' Arthur went goo-goo eyed at Gwen.

Lancelot looked away, 'would you stop making eyes at my sister for once!' demanded Elyan getting uncomfortable.

_'Sadly the age of gallantry seems to be dead. You look around and all you see are small men, not big enough to fill their armour. There's not one of them that's able to stand up for what is right.'_

_Arthur smirked at the manipulative young woman before him._

'She was manipulative even then,' murmured Merlin.

'I think there was always a vindictive streak in her,' sighed Gaius, 'but she put it to good use.'

'_What do you want me to do?' Arthur asks._

_Morgana and Arthur meet Merlin in the courtyard. Arthur draws his sword as they open the door. Soon as they're in the tunnels Arthur lights a torch._

'_You'd better be right about this, Merlin,' Arthur threatens._

'Not scared are you?' smirked Merlin.

_They hear a low growl that causes Morgana to gasp._

'_You should stay here,' Arthur tells her._

_'I'm coming with you,' Morgana tells him._

_'No,' said Arthur._

_'Scared I'll show you up?' Morgana smirks._

_'Father will slam us both in chains if he knew I'd endangered you,' Arthur tells her._

_'Well good thing he doesn't know about it then,' Morgana laughed._

_'I'm telling you, Morgana, turn back. You could get hurt,' Arthur was being gallant as always._

_'You could too...if you don't get out of my way,' Morgana threatens._

'When did her fake threats become real?' asked Arthur.

_Merlin looks amused at the display of sibling rivalry. Arthur rolls his eyes but doesn't protest any further._

'_How are we going to find it?' asked Morgana._

_'I just hope we do before it finds us,' Merlin says._

Everyone groaned, 'you just had to go and jinx it,' groaned Percival.

_Arthur spins around, 'Stop.'_

_'What?' Merlin asks._

_'It's just a shadow,' Arthur decides._

'Somehow I don't think so,' muttered Percival.

_The trio keep moving. The Afanc creeps up behind them as they reach the water source._

'_Spread out,' Arthur orders the other two. The three of them split up._

_Arthur hears a growl and the Afanc swipes at him from behind. Morgana rushes up to help him, 'What is it? Are you alright?' _

'_Yeah,' Arthur said._

_'Did you see it?' Merlin demanded._

_'Yes,' agreed Arthur._

_'What did it look like?' asks Merlin._

_'It, it's quick,' stuttered Arthur._

'Really?' Princess your powers of observation amaze me,' drawled Gwaine. 'I don't know how we ever got on without you!'

_The Afanc comes up in front of them and Morgana screams in fear. Arthur goes for it but once again it blends into the shadows._

'_Where is it?' Arthur shouted._

'_I think it's gone this way!' Merlin points the direction._

_They continue on down the tunnels. The Afanc creeps out of his corner into full view. Arthur swings at it in the process loosing his sword. It swipes away Morgana's torch. Arthur, meanwhile, is circling it with his own sword._

'_Arthur, use the torch!' Merlin ordered his master. Arthur swings the torch again._

'_Lyfte ic þe in balwen ac forhienan,' Merlin yells a spell causing the flame of Arthur's torch to blow into the Afanc; it was incinerated._

'So it was you, again,' said Arthur, 'I wonder if any of my deeds was really me?' said Arthur is pride damaged.

'What did it mean?' asked Elyan.

'You are air in fire's heat but defeat the hostile one,' Merlin translated easily.

_Nimueh is watching in her stone basin. 'Merlin. Mah!' says the witch angrily splashing the water in her temper._

'What is it about me angering evil sorceresses?' asked Merlin.

_Uther is in the council chamber laughing with some of his council members, 'It's very good.'_

_'Good news, Sire. There are no new deaths, and those that are sick are recovering,' Gaius informed him._

_'Good. Strange, I've never heard of an Afanc before,' noted Uther._

_'It's conjured from clay by powerful magic. The type that can only be invoked by an ancient sorcerer. One that has the power to mirror the spirit of life. I found this at the water source,' Gaius was holding part of the egg shell that the Afanc had come from._

'_It bears the mark of Nimueh. We must be vigilant, Sire,' said Gaius._

_'Will I never be rid of her?' asked a frustrated king._

'Well you did betray her,' muttered Merlin.

_'Sire,' Gaius asked._

_'Leave me!' Uther ordered when everyone leaves the king mopes on his throne._

_In the dungeons the guards open Gwen's cell allowing Gwen's father, Merlin and Morgana to enter._

'_Dad!' cried Gwen hugging her father._

'_Oh, my little child!' Tom says smiling at the fact his daughter is now free._

_Gwen reaches up to grasp Morgana's hand, 'Thank you!'_

_'Don't thank me. It was more Merlin,' Morgana smiles._

_'Really?' asked Gwen astonished._

_'He's the real hero here,' smiled Merlin._

_'I don't know what to say,' Gwen smiles._

_Merlin shrugs, 'I didn't do anything.'_

Everyone was giving Merlin incredulous looks, 'I don't want attention,' muttered Merlin.

'_I'm- I'm grateful to you all. Come on, Gwen,' Tom takes and Gwen and leaves._

'_Merlin. I wanted you to know, your secret's safe with me,' Morgana said._

'Wait she knows?' asked Arthur.

'No,' said Merlin.

_'My secret?' said Merlin in surprise._

_'Merlin, don't pretend. I know what you did,' Morgana said._

_'You do?' Merlin asked._

_'I saw it with my own eyes,' confirmed Morgana._

_'You did?' asked Merlin weakly._

_'I understand why you don't anyone to know,' Morgana agreed._

_'Well, obviously,' Merlin rolled his eyes._

_'But I won't tell anyone. You don't mind me talking to you about it?' asked Morgana._

_'Er...no. I- I, it's, er...you have no idea how hard it is to keep this hidden,' Merlin said frustrated._

_'Well, you can continue to deny it, but I think Gwen's a very lucky woman,' Morgana said._

'She thought you had feeling for me,' laughed Gwen.

'I know,' agreed Merlin.

_'Gwen?' Merlin asked blankly._

_Morgana puts her finger to her lips, 'it's our secret,' Morgana smiles leaving Merlin alone in the cell._

_Merlin sighed sadly._

'Why did you sigh?' asked Arthur.

'I was lonely I was scared to tell anyone but I wanted someone my own age to talk about it with,' explained Merlin.

_Merlin and Gaius are back eating dinner in Gaius' chambers._

'_This fish didn't come from the water, did it?' Merlin asked worried._

_'Well, where else is it going to come from? The water's fine now. That's not your worry. This is the work of a very powerful sorcerer. I only hope you didn't come to her attention,' Gaius said._

'I did,' said Merlin sadly.

'The poisoning?' asked Arthur.

Merlin nodded.

Huinith groaned; what now?

'_Doubt it. Well no one else seems to appreciate my skills. I just want someone to see me for who I am,' said Merlin sadly._

_'One day, Merlin. One day,' Gaius assured him._

_'One day what?' Merlin questioned._

_'One day people won't believe what an idiot you were,' Gaius shook his head fondly._

_'Thanks,' Merlin grins._

_All this time Nimueh has been watching from her stone basin, 'Merlin, you will pay for this.'_


	4. 4 the poisand chalice

4. The Poisoned Chalice

'_In a land of myth and a time of magic, the destiny of a great kingdom rests on the shoulders of a young boy. His name: Merlin,' the Great Dragon said._

'Does it have to start every time like that?' asked Arthur.

'I think so,' said Gaius.

_Nimueh drops some of her blood into a stone basin._

'Ugh,' said Gwaine.

'Dark magic,' said Merlin.

'_We Gar-Dena in geardagum theodcyninga thrym gefrunon hut tha aethelingas Ellen fremedom! Sythan aerest wearth feasceaft funden. Hyran scold thara, ofer hronrade Camelot, hyran scold. Hyran scolde thara, ofer hronrade Camelot, hyran scolde Merlin,' Nimueh enchanted._

'What?' asked Arthur.

'We have heard of the glory of the Spear-Danes, of the kings of the people, in the days of yore, and how those princes did deeds of glory. First he was found helpless. Obedience is owed, over the Camelot sea, obedience is owed. Obedience is owed, over the Camelot sea, obedience is owed, Merlin,' Merlin recited. 'I know the old language as well as English!'

_Nimueh drops a flower petal in the water. 'Diegol cnytte, gewitte me yst, þa tacnian me yst þonne ieceþ sicle. Diegol cnytte, gewitte me yst, þa tacnian me yst þonne ieceþ sicle. Swilte ar ond calan, drædan morðor, to Camelot he cymþ!_**' **

'Illuminate the darkness, let me see through the rough water, mark the water when the pain in increased. Illuminate the darkness, let me see through the rough water, mark the water when the pain in increased. Kill the servant and may he become cold, fear the death, he comes to Camelot,' Merlin said before anyone could ask.

_Then she watches Merlin in the water and pulls out the petal where she puts it in a silver goblet. 'Merlin,' Nimueh says._

_Uther and Bayard meet in Uther's throne room._

'_Camelot welcomes you, Lord Bayard of Mercia. The treaty we sign today marks and end to war and a beginning to a new friendship between our people,' the two kings grasp each other by the arm whilst Nimueh has her eye on Merlin._

_Merlin and Gaius are in the corridor where Merlin is carrying a heavy bag, 'Why do I always get landed with the donkey work?' Merlin complains._

_'You're a servant, Merlin. It's what you do,' Gaius informs him._

_'My arms will be a foot longer by the time I get this lot inside,' Merlin complains._

_'It's character building. As the old proverb says, hard work breeds...a harder soul,' Gaius makes up on the spot._

'You made that up, uncle,' laughed Gaius.

_'There is no way that's a proverb. You just made that up,' Merlin said._

'You two are very alike,' Gwen shook her head.

_'No. I didn't,' Gaius lied._

_Nimueh has just faked a fall right in front of Merlin._

'Please tell me you didn't fall for that,' groaned Arthur.

'_Sorry,' Nimueh apologizes._

_'It's alright,' Merlin says._

_'Excuse me,' Nimueh said._

_'Let me give you a hand with that,' Merlin said politely bending down to help Nimueh with her work. They stand up together eyes locked._

'_Hi. I'm Merlin,' Merlin smiles shaking her hand._

'_Cara. You're Arthur's servant. That must be such an honour,' Nimueh says._

'Not the way Merlin talks about it,' muttered Arthur.

_'Oh, yeah. It is. Well, you know, someone's got to keep the place running,' Merlin said._

Everyone laughed at this.

_'Thank you, Merlin,' Nimueh said trying to remind him that Merlin still had her pillow._

_'Hmm?' Merlin looks down and realising he still has Nimueh's pillow hurriedly gives it back to the sorceress. 'Oh, right. Yeah. Er, no problem.'_

_'It was nice meeting you,' she walks off as Merlin watches her leave._

'_Shouldn't you be busy running the place?' Gaius laughs as Merlin just gives him a look._

_Nimueh has entered Gaius' guest quarters, 'Alysan duru ronne,' she magically opens the door._

'What?' asked Gwaine.

'Open uninterrupted the door,' Merlin replied.

_She enters the room and opens a box with two silver goblets inside where she replaces one of them with an identical one which has been enchanted._

_Merlin sets Arthur's clothes down then reels back._

'They really stink,' Merlin wrinkled his nose.

'_When's the last time these were cleaned?' Merlin asked._

_'Last year some time. Before the feast of Beltane,' Arthur said._

_'Did it end in a food fight?' Merlin asked shocked._

_'Don't all feasts?' asked Arthur._

'And these are supposed to be the nobles,' laughed Gwaine.

_'I wouldn't know. The heirs and graces of the court are a mystery to me,' said Merlin._

_'Not tonight they won't be,' Arthur said._

_'I'm gonna be at the banquet?' Merlin looked quite excited at that fact._

_'Not quite. You'll be there to make sure my cup doesn't run dry. If I have to sit through Bayard's boring speeches, I don't see why you should get out of it. Be sure to polish the buttons. Do you want to see what you'll be wearing tonight?' Arthur said with a grin on his face._

_'Won't this do?' Merlin asked gesturing to his red shirt and brown coat._

_'No. Tonight you'll be wearing the official ceremonial robes of the servants of Camelot,' Arthur held up a red costume with the Pendragon crest and feather hat._

Everyone laughed, 'I can't believe you fell for that,' snorted Arthur.

'_You can't be serious,' Merlin looked less than impressed at the sight of what he was supposed to be wearing._

_Bayard is signing the treaty while Gwen laughs at Merlin's costume, 'Nice hat.'_

'_Thanks,' Merlin rolled his eyes. Then seeing Nimueh he takes off his hat._

_Gwen follows his gaze, 'She's pretty isn't she? For a handmaiden, I mean.'_

'Why do you fall for evil sorceresses?' asked Arthur.

'No idea,' said Merlin.

_'She's pretty for a princess, let alone a handmaiden,' Merlin gazes at Nimueh._

_'Mmm,' Gwen murmured._

_Uther too signs the treaty. The crowd cheers as Uther and Bayard grasp hands. Gwen leaves Merlin._

'_People of Camelot, for a great many years we have been mortal enemies, and the blood of our men stains the ground from the walls of Camelot to the gates of Mercia. And though we remember those who have died, we must not allow any more to join them,' Bayard says. A serving girl brings forth the goblets, 'As a symbol of our goodwill, and of our newfound friendship, I present these ceremonial goblets to you, Uther, and to your son, Arthur, in the hope that our friendship may last.'_

_Nimueh approaches Merlin looking anxious, '_Merlin, I need to speak to you.'

_'The wounds we received in battle...' Bayard was saying._

_'What is it?' asked Merlin._

_'Not here, please. I don't know who else to tell,' Nimueh sounded scared. The two of them leave together; Gaius notices this._

'_Tonight we toast a new beginning for our peoples. We look towards a future free from the toils of war,' Bayard is saying._

_Nimueh and Merlin stop to talk in a deserted corridor, 'It wasn't until I saw him give the goblet to Arthur that I realised...' she trails off._

_'Whoa, slow down. Start from the beginning,' Merlin tries to calm the girl down._

_'Two days ago, I was bringing Bayard his evening meal. We're supposed to knock. He didn't expect me to walk in...' she trails off looking upset._

_'So what are you trying to say?' Merlin asked._

_'If he knows I said anything, he will kill me,' Nimueh says._

_'I would not let that happen to you, I promise. Please tell me what you saw,' Merlin tells Nimueh._

_'Bayard is no friend of Camelot. He craves the kingdom for himself,' Nimueh said._

_'Cara...Tell me. What has Bayard done with the goblet?' Merlin asks._

'_He believes that if he kills Arthur, Uther's spirit will be broken and Camelot will fall,' Nimueh said._

'He does love you,' said Merlin, 'his redeeming quality.'

_'What has he done with the goblet?' Merlin asked._

_'I saw him putting something in it,' said a scared looking Nimueh._

_'What?' Merlin asked._

_'I shouldn't! He'll kill me!' Nimueh looked terrified._

'She's a good actress,' murmured Arthur.

_'Please, tell me! Was it poison?' he asks._

_Nimueh nods and Merlin runs off missing the evil smirk that appears on Nimueh's face._

_Back in the hall Bayard is still talking._

'How long does his speech go on for?' asked Gwaine.

'Too long,' grunted Arthur.

'_And may the differences from our past remain there. To your health, Uther,' Bayard finishes. Everyone stands to toast, 'Arthur,' Arthur starts to drink, 'The Lady Morgana.'_

There were tense looks.

_Morgana nods as Arthur once again starts to drink._

'_The people of Camelot,' Bayard toasts as Arthur starts to drink again._

'You really want that poison,' chuckled Gwaine.

'_And to fallen warriors on both sides,' Uther finishes everyone starts to drink._

'_Stop!' Merlin suddenly bursts in. 'It's poisoned! Don't drink it!' Merlin runs up and takes Arthur's goblet who is too surprised to resist._

'_What?' Uther looks at Merlin._

_'Merlin, what are you doing?' Arthur hisses._

_'Bayard laced Arthur's goblet with poison,' Merlin tells the court._

_'This is an outrage!' Bayard shouts and both the blue and red knights draw their swords._

'_Order your men to put down their swords,' Uther says as more Camelot guards rush in. 'you are outnumbered,' Uther unnecessarily informs Bayard._

'_I will not allow this insult to go unchallenged!' Bayard says._

_'On what grounds do you base this accusation?' Uther directs at Merlin._

_'I'll handle this,' Arthur skirts around the table. 'Merlin, you idiot. Have we been at the sloe gin again?' Arthur grabs Merlin and takes the goblet from his servant's hands._

'_Unless you want to be strung up, you will tell me why you think why you think it's poisoned now,' Uther ordered Merlin._

_'He was seen lacing it,' Merlin informed them._

_'By whom?' asked Uther._

_'I can't say,' Merlin refused to give up his supposed friend's name._

_'I won't listen to this anymore,' Bayard was getting angry._

_'Pass me the goblet,' Arthur hands his father the goblet._

'_If you're telling the truth...' Uther was now looking at Bayard._

_'I am,' Bayard assured the other king._

_'Then you have nothing to fear, do you?' Uther suggested._

_Bayard sheathes his sword and reaches for the goblet._

'_No. If this does prove to be poisoned, I want the pleasure of killing you myself,' Uther says._

'And you wonder why I think he's cold hearted; taking pleasure in killing!' said Merlin.

Arthur secretly agreed with the warlock but didn't say anything.

_Bayard snorted._

_Uther holds the goblet to Merlin, 'He'll drink it.'_

'So nice,' said Merlin, 'saving his son's life and my reward – to be poisoned!'

_'But if it is poisoned, he'll die!' Arthur shouted._

_'Then we'll know he was telling the truth,' replied Uther._

_'And what if he lives?' Bayard questioned._

_'Then you have my apologies, and you can do with him as you will,' Uther decided._

_'Uther, please! He's just a boy! He doesn't know what he's saying!' Gaius begged._

_'Then you should've schooled him better,' Uther snapped._

_'Merlin, apologise. This is a mistake. I'll drink it,' Arthur tried to take the cup of Merlin._

_'No, no, no, no, no. It's, it's alright,' Merlin wouldn't let Arthur drink the poison._

_Merlin toasts Bayard and Arthur as Nimueh watches with glee._

'Sick witch,' said Gwen.

_Gwen moves forward worried about her friend._

'_It's fine,' Merlin said._

_'He's all yours,' Uther said to Bayard. That was when Merlin put a hand to his mouth began choking collapsing on the floor. 'It's poisoned. Guards seize him!' the king of Camelot ordered._

_Arthur crouches over Merlin. Nimueh leaves. Gwen and Gaius crouch over Merlin's still form, 'Merlin. Can you hear me? We have to get him back to my chambers. Bring the goblet. I need to identify the poison.'_

_Arthur picks up the poisoned boy and Gwen picks up the goblet and follows the men._

'Why did no one ever inform me of this?' cried Huinith.

'I didn't want to worry you,' muttered Merlin.

_Arthur enters Gaius' chambers with Gwen and Gaius following after him, 'Lay him on the bed quickly; he's struggling to breathe. Gwen, fetch me some water and a towel.'_

_Gwen hurried to do what she was told._

'_Is he gonna be alright?' asked Arthur._

'Always knew you cared,' laughed Merlin into the group of pale friends (even if they knew he'd be fine).

_'He's burning up,' said Gaius._

'_You can cure him, can't you Gaius?' Gwen asked worried._

_'I won't know until I can identify the poison. Pass me the goblet,' he instructs. Gwen hands the old physician the goblet. 'Ah. There's something stuck on the inside.'_

_'What is it?' Arthur asked._

_'It looks like a flower petal of some kind,' Gaius realises._

_'His brow's on fire,' Gwen says._

_'Keep him cool; it'll help control his fever,' Gaius tells her. Gwen puts a damp cloth on Merlin's forehead while Gaius consults his books._

'_Ah. The petal comes from the Mortaeus flower. It says here that someone poisoned by the Mortaeus can only be saved by a potion made from the leaf of the very same flower. It can only be found in the caves deep beneath the Forest of Balor. The flower grows on the roots of the Mortaeus tree,' said Gaius._

_'That's not particularly friendly,' Arthur said._

_'A Cockatrice. It guards the forest. Its venom is potent. A single drop would mean certain death. Few who have crossed the Mountains of Isgaard in search of the Mortaeus flower have made it back alive,' Gaius says._

'Arthur is one of the few,' muttered Merlin.

'Thanks to the guiding light,' murmured Arthur.

Gaius smiled.

_'Sounds like fun,' Arthur decided he was going._

_'Arthur, it's too dangerous,' Gaius tells him._

'It really was you shouldn't have gone,' Merlin scolded.

'You would have,' said Arthur.

'You're more important than me,' said Merlin.

'I'm really not,' said Arthur.

_'If I don't get the antidote, what happens to Merlin?' asked Arthur._

_'The Mortaeus induces a slow and painful death . He may hold out for four, maybe five days, but not for much longer. Eventually he will die,' Gaius said grimly._

'How close was it?' asked Huinith.

'Too close,' said Gaius grim.

_Nimueh is riding out of Camelot._

_Gwen enters Morgana's chambers, 'My Lady, I am so sorry I haven't been here to attend to you,' apologized Gwen._

_'Don't worry, I'm alright. How's Merlin?' questioned Morgana._

_'If Arthur comes back with the antidote in time, he'll be fine,' Gwen informed her._

_'Then he'll be fine,' Morgana reassured her servant._

_Gwen sighs._

'_You should be with him. I'll manage. I know what he means to you. Go,' Morgana tells Gwen._

_'Thank you,' Gwen leaves._

_Arthur is in his chain mail walking with Uther down the corridor, 'What's the point of having people to taste for you if you're going to get yourself killed anyway?' Uther demands._

_'I won't fail, no matter what you think,' Arthur retorts._

'Thanks to magic,' muttered Arthur.

'I wonder who?' asked Merlin.

Gaius looked away.

_'Arthur, you are my only son and heir. I can't risk losing you for the sake of some serving boy,' Uther said._

'He's saved your son's life!' Huinith said.

_'Oh, because his life's worthless?' snapped Arthur._

_'No, because it's worth less than yours,' Uther responded twisting Arthur's words._

'I love your father, Arthur,' Merlin rolled his eyes.

_'I can save him. Let me take some men,' Arthur pleads._

_'No,' Uther put his foot down._

_'We'll find the antidote and bring it back,' Arthur continues._

_'No,' Uther repeated._

_'Why not?' Arthur demands._

_'Because one day I will be dead and Camelot will need a king. I'm not going to let you jeopardise the future of this kingdom over some fool's errand,' Uther says._

'_It's not a fool's errand. Gaius says that if we can get the antidote...' Uther interrupts his son._

_'Oh, Gaius says? That's exactly what makes it so,' Uther said._

'Aren't they supposed to be friends?' asked Gwen.

_'Please, Father. He saved my life. I can't stand by and watch him die,' Arthur said softly._

_'Then don't look,' Uther said coldly. 'This boy won't be the last to die on your behalf. You're going to be King. It's something you'll have to get used to.'_

_'I can't accept that,' Arthur said shortly._

_'You're not going,' Uther replied._

_'You can't stop me,' Arthur challenges._

_'Damn it, Arthur, that's an end to it! You're not leaving this castle tonight,' orders Uther._

_Arthur storms into his chambers flinging his sword off and leaning over the fireplace when Morgana enters after him, 'Say what you like about the food, but you can't beat our feast for entertainment.'_

'Entertainment!' shouted Gwen and Huinith together.

'She had a twisted sense of entertainment even then,' said Arthur bitterly.

_'Morgana, I'm sorry, I should have made sure you were alright,' Arthur ever the caring big brother._

_'Disappointed actually. I was looking forward to clumping a couple around the head with a ladle,' Morgana replied._

'She enjoyed nothing more than a fight,' muttered Arthur.

_'I'm sure the guards could have handled Bayard and his men,' Arthur replied._

'Only because they didn't have magic,' muttered Merlin.

_'Yeah, but why let the boys have all the fun?' asked Morgana._

_'Morgana, you shouldn't get involved. It's dangerous,' warned Arthur._

'She's dangerous,' shivered Sir Leon having been there when Morgana took over.

_'Spare me the lecture, I've already had it from Uther,' retorted Morgana._

_'If it's any consolation, you weren't the only one,' Arthur sighed._

_'Not that I listen to him. Sometimes you've got to do what you think is right, and damn the consequences,' Morgana said._

_'You think I should go?' Arthur questioned her._

_'It doesn't matter what I think,' Morgana returned._

_'If I don't make it back, who will be the next king of Camelot? There's more than just my life at stake,' Arthur reminded her._

_'And what kind of king would Camelot want? One that would risk his life to save that of a lowly servant?' Morgana asked him drawing Arthur's sword._

'Most definitely,' agreed Gwen.

'_Or one who does what his father tells him to?' Morgana presented the knight with his sword._

_Arthur rides across the drawbridge._

'_Halt!' the guard tells him._

_Arthur ignores him and rides out with Nimueh watching from the basin._

_The next morning in Gaius' chambers._

'_He's getting hotter,' Gwen informs the physician._

'_Him. Liffrea, wuldres wealdend, woroldare forgeaf,' Merlin mutters._

'Why was I doing that?' asked Merlin.

'You were ill so your magic was going out of control,' said Merlin, 'wonder why I was saying "Him? The Lord of wonder endowed him with world's renown?"' asked Merlin.

'Oh that's what you were saying; since it wasn't a spell I've never heard of it,' explained Gaius.

'I think you were talking about yourself,' said Huinith, 'your gifts which far out reach anyone, anywhere.'

_'What language is that?' asked Gwen._

_'None. The fever's taken hold. None of those words are his own. His pulse is weaker,' Gaius replied finding a rash on his arm_

'_What is it?' asked Gwen looking at the mark on Merlin's arm._

'Oh my baby,' Merlin was enveloped by his mother.

'Mother,' complained Merlin, 'I'm not a child!'

'A child I almost lost,' retorted Huinith.

_'That can't be right. The rash is not supposed to appear until the final stage,' Gaius frowned._

Huinith gulped.

_'What does that mean?' Gwen questioned._

_Gaius checks his book, 'It says here that "once a rash appears, death will follow within two days."'_

Arthur and Huinith paled, 'I had no idea how close it was,' whispered Arthur.

_'You said he had four days,' Gwen said panicked._

_'Something's increased the flower's potency. It warns that "the effect of the Mortaeus will be more rapid if an enchantment is used during the flower's preparation,"' Gaius frowned._

'Nimueh,' said Arthur grilmly.

_'An enchantment? But Bayard's no sorcerer,' frowned Gwen._

_'No he isn't,' agreed Gaius._

_'Then who did this?' Gwen questioned._

_'It can't have been. She wouldn't dare come here. Unless...' Gaius spoke allowed._

_'Unless what?' Gwen asked urgently bringing Gaius back to reality._

_'What happened to that girl?' Gaius asked Gwen._

_'Which girl?' Gwen asked._

_'Just before Merlin burst into the hall one of Bayard's serving girls took him outside,' Gaius reminded her._

_'She had dark hair. Very beautiful,' Gwen remembered._

_'Find her. Quickly,' Gaius ordered._

'_Arthur... swa...' Merlin muttered._

_Gwen checks the cell for the girl but finds her absent._

_Uther is pacing Morgana's chambers, 'expressly ordered Arthur not to go!' he ranted._

_'I'd say it worked like a charm, too,' Morgana said._

_'Not another word!' Uther ordered._

_'My lips are sealed,' Morgana said._

_'I should've put him under lock and key,' Uther said._

'That man's parenting techniques,' scoffed Huinith.

_'You can't chain him up every time he disagrees with you,' Morgana said._

'He does with everyone else,' muttered Gwen.

_'Just you watch me! I will not be disobeyed! Especially by my own son!' Uther raged._

_'No. Of course you won't,' Morgana agreed sitting down at her own desk and beginning to write._

_Uther approaches her, 'You knew about this, didn't you? Morgana...don't lie to me.'_

_'Arthur's old enough to make decisions for himself,' Morgana told her guardian._

_'He's just a boy,' Uther said._

'How old were you?' asked Huinith.

'Just eighteen,' said Arthur.

_'Have you seen your son recently? You have to let him make his own mind up,' Morgana said._

'Every parent needs to let go eventually,' said Huinith looking at her powerful son.

_'Even if it means letting him go to his death?' asked Uther._

_Arthur is riding through the mountains as Nimueh sees from her fountain. Nimueh quickly pulls on her cloak and leaves her cave._

_Merlin is stirring restlessly as Gaius looks at his rash and Gwen enters._

'Hush baby,' murmured Huinith.

'Arthur – swa sceal geong – guma gode – gewyrcean,' Merlin mutters.

'What are you saying about me?' Arthur asked.

'Arthur - So becomes it a youth to quit him well,' Merlin replied. 'I suppose I mean the fact that you are standing up to your father, or the fact that you are risking your life to save me.'

_Arthur approaches a crying Nimueh who appears bruised where she sits on the log that Arthur comes across, 'Hello? Are you alright?' Arthur asked kindly. Behind him the Cockatrice roars at the couple, 'Stay back,' Arthur orders the sorceress not noticing her cold smile behind him._

'You didn't need to protect her,' said Merlin, 'she could kill it and you faster than you can blink,' Merlin explained.

_The Cockatrice lunges at Arthur. Arthur rolls under it and then jumps throwing his sword at it effectively killing it. Nimueh grimaces then begins to back away looking at Arthur fearfully. 'It's alright. I'm not going to hurt you. Who did that to you?' Arthur points to her bruises._

'_My master. I ran away from him, but then I got lost. Please don't leave me,' begged Nimueh._

_'I won't. I'm not going to,' Arthur assured her._

_'You can take me away from here?' Nimueh asked hopefully._

_'Not yet. There's something I have to do first,' Arthur looked to the cave._

'_Why have you come to the caves?' Nimueh asks._

'Like you don't know,' muttered Elyan.

_'I'm looking for something. It can only be found here,' Arthur explained._

_'What is it? I know this place; I could help you,' said Nimueh._

'Did you never think that was very convenient?' asked Gwaine.

'I just saw a sacred girl,' Arthur admitted.

_'It's a type of flower that only grows inside the cave. It's very rare,' Arthur told the witch._

_'The Mortaeus flower? I know where they are. I'll show you,' Nimueh tells the prince._

_The two of them enter with torches together._

_Back in Gaius' chamber Merlin is still muttering, 'Arthur, it...it's a trap. It's a trap,' he cries._

'How did I know that?' asked Merlin.

'I have no idea but you don't really follow the conventional rules of magic,' smiled Gaius.

'Tell me about it,' moaned Merlin.

_'His fever's getting worse, isn't it?' asks Gwen._

_'The poison's setting in,' Gaius said grimly._

'_Eft gewunigen wilgesiþas, þonne wig cume,' he mutters._

'That to aid him, aged, in after days come warriors willing, should war draw nigh,' Merlin frowned, 'I suppose that means our relationship and destiny.'

Arthur nodded.

_'Shh. Could you fetch me some more Wolfbane?' Gaius asked Gwen._

_'Yes, of course,' Gwen left._

_'Merlin, you must fight it,' Gaius ordered the boy as soon as the maid left._

'Yes fight it,' Huinith begged.

_Arthur and Nimueh turn a corner in the caves, 'There they are,' the flowers are on a narrow ledge in the cave that Arthur must reach._

_Arthur looks down at the narrow edge, 'Keep back from the edge. Don't worry. We'll be out of here soon,' Arthur promises._

_As soon as his back is turned Nimueh curses Arthur, 'eorthe, lyft, fyr, waeter, hiersumie me.'_

'I could do that without the use of words,' smirked Merlin. 'It's just Earth, air, fire, water, obey me,' he explained.

_The cave begins to shake, 'Eorthe ac stanas hiersumie me. Ic can stanas tobrytan...'_

'Just stones, obey me. I have the knowledge to break the stones into pieces,'Merlin said, 'I wouldn't do it like that I would ask for the stones for their help.'

_'What are you doing?' Arthur demanded._

'_...hiersumie me,' Nimueh finished her spell. Arthur drops his torch and it falls to the rocks beneath him. He jumps to the opposite ledge catching it with one hand, 'expected so much more.'_

_'Who are you?' Arthur demanded._

_'The last face you'll ever see,' Nimueh responds as a giant spider appears, 'It seems we have a visitor,' Nimueh smirks as Arthur fumbles with his sword and kills the spider causing it to fall down the cliff. 'Very good. But he won't be the last. I'll let his friends finish you off, Arthur Pendragon. It's not your destiny to die at my hand,' she leaves Arthur dangling one handed off the cliff._

'_Who are you?' Arthur shouted after the witch._

_Back in Gaius' chambers Merlin is muttering, 'Arthur. It's too dark. Too dark_. _Fromum feohgiftum on fæder bearme. Fromum feohgiftum,' he speaks the spell._

_Gaius sees something glowing, 'Merlin?' he questions._

'It was you,' whispered Arthur, 'you were dying and you were still able to save my life; miles away!'

'How powerful are you?' asked Percival.

'To be honest my magic is still maturing but I already best Nimueh, Morgause, Morgana, Sigan,' Merlin admitted.

'Wow,' Gwaine muttered.

_Gaius unfolds Merlin's blanket to see an orb of blue light in Merlin's hand, 'What are you doing?' whispered Gaius._

_In the cave the ball of light appears to Arthur, 'Come on, then! What are you waiting for? Finish me off!'_

Merlin raised an eyebrow, 'I thought it was the witch come to finish me off,' shrugged Arthur. 'That was further evidence to the fact that father was wrong.'

_The light floats above Arthur allowing him to pull himself up onto the ledge. The light moves up but Arthur spots the Mortaeus flower on the cliff._

'_Leave them, Arthur,' Merlin orders._

'Like I would,' scoffed Arthur.

_The spiders screech and crawl towards Arthur._

'_Go. Save yourself. Follow the light,' Merlin cries in his sleep._

'And leave you to die,' Arthur shook his head.

_Arthur climbs to the flower grabs it and puts it in his belt pouch. Arthur races the spiders to the top._

'_Faster. Go faster. Follow the light! Move. Climb,' Merlin continues instructing his prince until Arthur makes it to the top and the light vanishes from his hand._

_The guards spot Arthur from the battlements, 'Inform the King! Arthur has returned to Camelot!' one guard says._

_Arthur rides across the drawbridge but the young prince is stopped by the guards, 'What are you doing? Let me pass.'_

_'I'm sorry, Sire. You're under arrest, by order of the King,' the guard says._

_Arthur is in the dungeons where his father comes to see him, '_You disobeyed me.

'_Of course I did, a man's life is at stake. Do not let Merlin die because of something I did,' Arthur tries to reason with his father._

_'Why do you care so much? The boy is just a servant,' Uther says dismissively._

'I don't think a man's status should decide his importance; not that dad understands,' sighed Arthur.

_'He knew the danger he was putting himself in, and he knew what would happen if he drank from that goblet, but he did it anyway. He saved my life. There's more. There was a woman at the mountain. She knew I was there for the flower. I don't think it was Bayard who tried to poison me,' Arthur says._

_'Of course it was,' Uther snapped._

'You're nowhere near as obtuse as your father,' Merlin says.

'I'm sure there was a compliment in there somewhere,' said Gwen smiling.

_Arthur pulls out the flower, 'Gaius knows what to do with it!' Uther takes the flower, 'Put me in the stocks for a week, a month even, I don't care. Just make sure it gets to him. I'm begging you,' Uther crushes the flower._

Huinith glowered at the black box and everyone else (even Arthur seems angry). Except Merlin who just shrugs as if he expects it.

'_NO!' shouted Arthur._

_'You have to learn there's a right and a wrong way of doing things. _

'And you have to learn different does not equal wrong,' retorted Merlin.

_I'll see you're let out in a week. Then you can find yourself another servant.'_

More glares hit the screen.

_In the physician's chambers Merlin is getting worse._

'_He hasn't got much longer. Has Arthur got the flower?' Gaius questioned._

_'I don't know. Uther won't allow anyone to see him. Is there nothing we can do to help?' pleaded Gwen._

_'Only the leaf of the Mortaeus flower can save him,' sighed Gaius._

_'And we have to find out if Arthur has it. I could sneak into the dungeon,' suggested Gwen._

_'That would be very dangerous,' warned Gaius._

_'I've got to. Merlin will die if I don't,' Gwen said._

_Merlin is struggling to breathe._

Huinith's breath hitches.

'_Be careful,' Gaius warns her again._

_Gwen is walking down to the cells with a plate of food when a guard stops her._

'It is really too easy to get into the cells,' scowled Arthur.

'_Food for the prisoner,' Gwen murmurs._

_The guard opens the door to Arthur, 'Set it down over there,' Arthur orders. 'Thank you.' Gwen turns to leave. Arthur places the plate on the floor. 'Wait a minute,' Arthur stops her. 'I couldn't possibly eat this, it's disgusting. The state it's in, I'm not sure it's fit for anyone,' Arthur hinted at the state of the Mortaeus flower that his father had crushed the flower._

_Gwen goes the flowers smiling when she realises that Arthur has left the flower on his plate._

'_You. Wait!' the guard calls the Gwen._

_Gwen freezes and turns around to see the guard coming up to her, 'Waste not, want not, eh? We're not all as precious as our Royal Highness,' the guard takes some bread._

'_Food for Prince Arthur,' the real serving girl approaches just as Gwen reaches the top of the stairs._

'Bad luck,' groaned Merlin.

_'Stay where you are!' shouts the guard as Gwen sprints off dropping the plate of food taking only the flower._

_Gwen runs into Gaius' chambers with the flower in hand, 'How is he?' she asked._

_'Have you got the Mortaeus?' asked Gaius._

'_Here,' Gwen hands Gaius the flower._

_'His breathing's much worse. _

Huinith whimpered.

_We have to hurry,' Gaius said starting to make the antidote._

_Gwen sits down beside Merlin, 'Why have you stopped?' she snaps._

Huinith glowers at her uncle.

'You used magic didn't you?' asked Gwen.

'Yes I did,' agreed Gaius.

_'The poison was created using magic. We may need magic to make an antidote,' Gaius told her._

_'But we can't. It's forbidden. Even if we could,' said Gwen sounding scared._

'Magic reminded me of when I was almost executed,' sighed Gwen.

_'I'll try and make it work without it. Oh, I need some fresh water,' Gaius instructs Gwen._

_Gwen rushes out to get the water._

'_Sythan,' Gaius then looks around careful that nobody was around to see him doing magic._

Arthur frowned, 'you were saving a life and had to do it in fear in case you were execute for it!'

'That's the times we live in,' sighed Merlin.

'_Sythan arrest wearth feasceaft funden. Denum æfter dome. Dreamleas gebad he gewinnes longsum,' Gaius enchants the potion causing it to bubble for a moment._

'I've never heard that spell before,' said Merlin, 'I know what it means, of course; Boil first the found it would be useless. If not thoroughly cooked, it will be ruined afterwards. Joyless, protracted, he endured, conquered.'

'It is just to make it work properly,' said Gaius. 'See you work on instinct and power. I work on simple learning.'

_Gwen rushes back in with the water, 'Thank you,' Gaius pours the potion into cup._

There were cheers from the nights and Huinith laughed.

'Don't celebrate yet,' warned Gaius, 'it's not over yet.'

Huinith groaned.

'_Hold his nose,' Gaius told Gwen who pinched Merlin's nose as Gaius poured the liquid into Merlin's mouth, 'Swallow, Merlin. Swallow it.'_

'_He's stopped breathing. What's happening? Gaius?' asked Gwen._

'It was that close,' whispered Huinith.

'Yeah,' said Gwen.

Huinith practically attacked Merlin with hugs.

_Gaius puts his head to Merlin's chest, 'His heart has stopped.'_

Huinith wailed.

'I'm here,' Merlin reminded his grim faced friends.

'_He's dead?' Gwen asked brokenly._

_'He can't be. He can't be. It was his destiny,' Gaius said looking in shock as he stood up._

'_It's my fault. If I'd have got here sooner. If I'd have been quicker,' Gwen sobs into Gaius' arms._

'It was not your fault,' Arthur said. 'If I hadn't been delayed by Nimueh…'

'And I'm fine,' retorted Merlin.

'_No, no. It was me. I should've looked after him better. It's my fault,' Gaius comforts her._

'_That's disgusting. You should be ashamed of yourself. You're old enough to be her grandfather,' Merlin suddenly wakes up and says._

'Is that what you say once you wake up from almost dying?' questioned Huinith.

Merlin shrugged.

_'Merlin. You're alive,' Gaius looks surprised._

'Uncle, you sound so happy about it,' Huinith raised an eyebrow at Gaius.

'I was surprised,' said Gaius.

_'No. I'm the ghost come back to haunt you,' laughed Merlin._

_Gwen grabs Merlin's face and kisses it._

Arthur and Lancelot look at Merlin. Arthur looks like he wants to murder the warlock, 'I thought you said there was nothing between you,' said a very hurt Lancelot.

'There isn't,' insisted Merlin.

'I thought he was dead,' reminded Gwen.

Elyan was less than impressed by the amount of men interested in his little sister.

'Sorry, I'm just...I thought you were dead,' Gwen explains embarrassed.

'_It's fine. It's more than fine._

Once more Arthur looks at Merlin murderously.

_...erm...what happened? The last thing I remember is drinking the wine,' Merlin looks confused._

'You had no idea that you had saved my life when you were out of it,' Arthur said.

'No and someone didn't bother to tell me,' Merlin gave his great uncle a very pointed look.

_Uther is consulting his advisors when Gaius enters, 'Sire, forgive the interruption, but may I speak with you?'_

_'Not now,' Uther sounds impatient._

_'But, Your Highness, it is important,' Gaius implores._

_'Word of Bayard's arrest has got back to Mercia. We're about to be attacked,' responds the king._

_'I feel that what I have to tell you may have some bearing on your plans. Please, it will only take a moment,' Gaius informs the king again. Uther steps aside with Gaius, 'I know who tried to poison Arthur.'_

_'So do I. He's locked in my dungeons,' retorts Uther._

_'It wasn't Bayard. The poison was magical. And I'd recognise the hand that made it anywhere: Nimueh,' Gaius sounds very grave._

_'You must be mistaken,' Uther says._

_'I wish I was,' Gaius admits._

_'It can't have been. We'd know her. That witch's face is not easily forgotten,' Uther says._

'It wouldn't be considering you betrayed her,' muttered Merlin.

'But why didn't you recognize her?' asked Arthur.

'It is very easy to conceal one's face with magic,' replied Merlin.

'Have you ever?' asked Gwen.

'Only once,' replied Merlin.

'Only,' muttered Arthur.

_'She's a powerful sorceress. She can enchant the eye that beholds her. We never knew it was her,' Gaius replied._

_'Have you any proof?' questioned Uther._

_'The poison used against Merlin was made more potent by the use of magic,' Gaius informs the king._

Everyone shuddered at this point.

'_Are you saying that she conspired with Bayard to kill Arthur?' Uther asked._

'He never sees reason where magic is concerned,' muttered Gaius.

_'No, Bayard is innocent. Look at what's happening. This is what she's wanted all along. A war to bring strife and misery to Camelot,' Gaius points out._

_'How long before Bayard's armies reach our walls?' Uther asks a knight._

_'A day. Maybe less. We should send cavalry out to meet them,' the knight replies._

_'Instruct your men not to leave Camelot until I give the word,' Uther orders._

_'Sire,' he and the other knights leave the king._

'_You are making the right decision, Sire. Do you think Arthur should be told the truth about Nimueh?' asked Gaius._

Merlin and Gaius shared a look, 'what?' asked Arthur.

'Never mind,' Gaius said swiftly.

'Let's just watch the box,' Merlin replied.

'But,' protested Arthur.

_Arthur, Uther and Morgana watch from the battlements as Bayard and his men ride away. Morgana turns to Arthur, 'okay. Let the bragging begin. How'd you manage it?'_

_'I'm not sure. All I do know is I had help. Someone knew I was in trouble and sent a light to guide the way,' Arthur looks thoughtful._

'I was beginning to break away from my father's way of thinking,' Arthur admitted.

_'Who?' Morgana asked._

_'I don't know. But whoever it was, I'm only here because of them,' Arthur admitted._

'_I'm glad you're back,' Morgana says leaving Arthur and his father to talk._

'_Arthur? The woman you met in the forest, what did she tell you?' Uther said sharply._

Merlin snorted, 'typical he would be worried about that!'

'Merlin,' Gaius warned.

'What is it,' demanded Arthur.

_'Not much. She was too busy trying to get me killed. It was strange, though,' Arthur said._

_'In what way?' Uther asked._

_'I was at her mercy. She could have finished me off, but she chose not to. She said it wasn't my destiny to die at her hand,' Arthur admitted._

Merlin winced thinking of Mordred.

_'You must've been scared,' Uther questioned._

_'Had its moments,' responded Arthur._

'Couldn't you admit to being scared?' asked Merlin.

Arthur just looked at him Merlin responded by rolling his eyes.

_'Those who practice magic know only evil,' Uther told his son. _

Merlin growled, 'yet it's you who execute children because of how their born,' Merlin said coldly.

Arthur winced at his tone knowing he could say nothing to defend his father.

_They despise and seek to destroy goodness wherever they find it. Which is why she wanted you dead. She is evil.'_

'Uther betrayed her first,' said Gaius softly.

_'Sounds as if you know her,' noted Arthur._

_'I do. To know the heart of one sorcerer is to know them all._

Gwen frowned, 'that's not fair you can't condemn a whole civilisation by the acts of a few!'

_You did the right thing. Even though you were disobeying me. I'm proud of you, Arthur. Never forget that,' Uther told his son._

_Arthur is seen entering the physician's chambers, '_Still alive, then?'

_'Oh. Yeah, just about. I understand I have you to thank for that,' Merlin looked at Arthur._

_'Yeah, well, it was nothing. A half decent servant is hard to come by. I was only dropping by to make sure you're alright. I expect you to be back to work tomorrow,' Arthur said._

'You two,' Gwen rolled her eyes, 'you really should start admitting how much you care for each other!'

'_Oh yeah, yeah of course, er, bright and early,' Merlin said sarcastically._

_Arthur turns to leave Merlin to his soup, 'Arthur. Thank you.'_

_'You too. Get some rest,' Arthur suggested._

'I always knew you loved me,' Merlin's eyes twinkled.

_'Arthur may give you a hard time, but at heart he's a man of honour. There aren't many who'd have risk what he did for a servant,' Gaius said coming in as Arthur left._

'There should be more,' frowned Lancelot.

'_It all would've been for nothing if you didn't know how to make the antidote,' Merlin said._

_'Eat your dinner,' Gaius said._

'Couldn't tell me that you'd used magic,' smirked Merlin.

_'I still don't understand why she went to all the trouble of framing Bayard. She could've just kept quiet and killed Arthur,' Merlin noticed._

_'But destroying Arthur and Camelot wasn't all she was after. She knew you would be forced to drink that wine. It was you she wanted to kill. Seems someone else knows you're destined for great things, Merlin,' Gaius commented._

'She saw you as a threat,' Arthur added.

_Nimueh herself was watching the two from her stone basin as they discussed her and Merlin's destiny._


	5. 5 lancealot

5. Lancelot

_The show started with Kilgharrah's usual, 'In a land of myth and a time of magic, the destiny of a great kingdom rests on the shoulders of a young boy. His name: Merlin.'_

'No pressure,' muttered Merlin.

_Merlin is in the woods picking mushrooms. He hears a screech and looking behind him ends up getting chased by a Griffin. Lancelot appears attacking the Griffin with the sword. Lancelot's sword breaks, 'Run! Run!' Lancelot yelled grabbing Merlin's hand and pulling him behind a tree. Lancelot holds his wounded side as they catch their breath._

'_It's gone. You saved my life. I'm Merlin,' Merlin introduces himself._

_'Lancelot,' Lancelot replies as he shakes Merlin's hand and then promptly collapses._

_In the physician's chamber Merlin and Gaius are standing over Lancelot, 'The wound itself is superficial. The fever will pass. He should be fine in the morning,' Gaius was telling Merlin._

_Arthur and his father are looking at the remains of a still burning village, 'What creature could've done this?' Uther asked._

_'We found no tracks in or out. What the villagers say must be true: it has wings and...' Arthur trailed off._

'You lot get into such trouble,' laughed Gwaine.

Huinith just shook her head wishing she could protect her son.

_'What?' Uther demanded._

_'And it took no livestock, only people. Whatever it is, it has a taste for human flesh,' Arthur said unhappily._

_'Post centuries in all the outlying villages. Put the lookouts on full alert. If this thing should make for Camelot, we must be ready,' Uther ordered._

'Doesn't he care for the outlying villages?' scowled Lancelot.

_Merlin is in his chambers talking with Lancelot, 'Ever since I was a child I've dreamed of coming here. It's my life's ambition to join the knights of Camelot. I know what you're thinking, I...I expect too much. After all, who am I? They have their pick of the best and bravest in the land.'_

_'Lancelot,' Merlin stopped him._

_'Yes?' Lancelot asked._

_'They are going to love you,' Merlin grinned idiotically._

_'They are?' Lancelot asked doubtfully._

'Of course we would,' replied Arthur.

_'I've seen you in action. You could shame the great Arthur himself,' Merlin assured him._

'Did you just call Arthur great?' laughed Gwen.

'He could not shame me,' said Arthur stoutly.

'How come he bet you when you were fighting,' laughed Merlin.

_'I hardly think so,' Lancelot replied._

_'In fact, you know what I'm going to do? I'm going to talk to him right now,' Merlin decided._

_'You know Arthur?' asked Lancelot surprised._

_'Oh yes,' Merlin grinned._

_In the training ground a nobleman swings a couple of swords around whilst Arthur watches, 'Right, you jumped up dung beetle, this is it. The final test. Pass this and you're a knight of Camelot. Fail, and you're no one. You face the most feared of all foes, the ultimate killing machine. You face me. You're challenge to last one minute free combat. Grummond, Second son of Wessex,' Arthur drew his own sword and nodded to a servant with an hourglass._

'_Your time starts now,' Arthur says as Grummond swings the sword around with the prince watching. Grummond attacks but Arthur takes the wannabee knight down in two blows. The crowd applauds the young prince as Arthur removes Grummund's flag. 'Take him away,' Arthur ordered._

_Merlin and Arthur were walking through the lower town, 'Grummund's the third to fail this month. How am I meant to defend Camelot with rubbish like that?'_

_'Well, I think I might be able to help,' Merlin offered._

_'You, Merlin? You haven't the faintest idea what it takes to become a knight. Courage, fortitude, discipline,' Arthur said._

'I don't want to be a knight I'm far happier being a warlock,' smirked Merlin,

_'No, no, no, of course I don't, but I do know someone who does,' Merlin said quickly._

_'Yeah?' Arthur sounded interested._

_'He saved my life,' Merlin said softly._

'I'm sure you could have done something if I wasn't there,' smiled Lancelot.

'Probably,' agreed Merlin.

_'That's blowing it for starters,' Arthur snorted._

_'No, no, no. He's really good. Honestly,' Merlin continued._

_'That's great, Merlin. I'm sure he's terrific, but you forget the First Code of Camelot,' Arthur replied._

Lancelot glared at the box (he really hated the first code).

_'The what?' Merlin asked,_

_'The First Code. Only those of noble blood can serve as knights. So, unless your friend is a nobleman,' Arthur told Merlin._

_'Oh, er, he, he is a nobleman,' Merlin said quickly._

'So it was you who begun to lie,' Arthur rolled his eyes, 'figures.'

_'Is he?' Arthur seemed surprised._

_'Absolutely,' Merlin agreed._

_'Very well. Bring him to the training ground tomorrow. And make sure he brings his seal of nobility,' Arthur instructed Merlin._

'_Thanks Arthur. You won't regret it,' grinned Merlin._

_Merlin enters the physician's chamber where Lancelot is waiting for news, 'Well? Did you speak to him?' Lancelot asked urgently._

_'Yeah, I spoke to him,' Merlin seemed determined to draw this out._

_'And?' Lancelot asked more urgently._

_'And...' Merlin pretended to be disappointed._

'Pain,' Arthur rolled his eyes affectionately.

'_No,' Lancelot looked disappointed shaking his head sadly._

'Merlin,' said Huinith, 'that wasn't nice.'

'It was funny though,' laughed Merlin.

'_He said he would like to meet you,' Merlin said with a goofy grin on his face._

_'Yes! Thank you. Thank you!' Lancelot grinned._

_'Hey, really, it was no problem, really. It's nothing – er - you're not a nobleman, by any chance, are you?' Merlin asked._

_'A nobleman? No,' Lancelot laughed. 'Good lord, no. Why do you ask?'_

_'It's just that there's this...' Merlin said hesitantly._

_'The First Code of Camelot states that only those of noble blood can serve as a knight. Uther created the knights to protect this kingdom from those who wished to destroy it. He knew he would have to trust each of his knights with his life. So he chose them from the families that had sworn allegiance to him,' Gaius had come in._

_'The nobility,' Merlin said grimly._

_'And thus the First Code of Camelot was born, and ever since that day, only the sons of noble families have served as knights,' Gaius explained._

_'But that is not fair,' Merlin protested._

'Not it's not,' agreed Gwen.

'But our princess changed that,' grinned Gwaine.

'Don't call me that,' groaned Arthur.

'What about his prattines,' asked Merlin laughing.

Arthur just groaned as Merlin and Gwaine laughed.

_'Fair or unfair, that's the way it is. I'm sorry, Lancelot. Truly, I am,' Gaius said sadly._

_In Merlin's chambers Lancelot and Merlin are talking, 'Why do you want to be a knight so much?' Merlin asked._

'Because being a knight is the highest honour in the land,' said Arthur pompously.

'_When I was a boy, my village was attacked by raiders from the northern plains. They were slaughtered where they stood, my father, my mother. Everyone. I alone escaped. I vowed that day that never again would I be helpless in the face of tyranny. I made sword craft my life. Every waking hour since that day, I devoted to the art of combat, and when I was ready, I set forth for Camelot. And now, it seems, my journey ends. Everything I fought for, wasted,' Lancelot sighed._

Arthur frowned looking around at his knights and Merlin wondering how many others would want to be knights but their status stopped them being so. Or how many others with magic wanted to help but instead feared for their lives which made them so very bitter.

_'I give you my word, whatever it takes, I will make this right,' Merlin vowed._

'It was you with the seal,' Arthur said.

'I'd do anything to help my friends,' replied Merlin.

Arthur nodded knowing how loyal his servant was.

_Merlin is in the library looking for a book whilst Geoffrey of Monmouth watches him. Merlin takes a book, 'Homework,' he explained._

'You thought that would work,' laughed Gwen, 'most servant can't read; I only can because my mother's employers taught me.'

'Elyan, Gwen, Isadora (my younger sister) and I learnt together,' Sir Leon informed them.

'What about you?' asked arthur.

'Mother taught me,' explained Merlin.

'Uncle Gaius taught me,' explained Huinith.

_Merlin opens the book to a page of Northumbrian nobility, 'Ic us bisen hræd tán hwanon,' Merlin copies the page._

'You used magic to fake the seals now that makes sense why we couldn't tell what it was,' said Arthur. 'What did the spell you used mean anyway? And how can you tell if it has been used in other instances.'

'Well do answer your last question first: quite simply you can't,' Merlin replied and Arthur looked annoyed. 'And the spell meant "For us, I swiftly copy the branches of offspring"' explained Merlin.

_Geoffrey wanders over, 'ahem_.'

_Merlin gives Geoffrey the book back, 'It's a...real page turner.'_

_Geoffrey looks at the title of the book._

_Back in Merlin's chambers Merlin shows Lancelot his faked seal of nobility, 'What's that?' asked Lancelot._

_'This is your seal of nobility,' grinned Merlin._

'Lancelot I'll give you a word of advice; never listen to Merlin's plans they almost always end with you in trouble,' Arthur said.

'Hey I'm not that bad,' defended Merlin.

'He keeps things interesting,' laughed Gwaine.

_'I don't understand,' Lancelot said blankly._

_'Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Lancelot, fifth son of Lord Eldred of Northumbria,' Merlin said._

_'No, Merlin. No,' Lancelot shook his head._

_'Oh, right. So you don't want to be a knight, then,' Merlin said exasperatedly._

_'Of course I do!' Lancelot said sharply._

_'Well...the rules don't allow it. Damn the rules! The rules are wrong!' Merlin decided._

_'But it's a lie. It's against everything the knights stand for,' Lancelot explained._

_'You have as much right to be a knight as any man. I know it,' Merlin said softly._

_'But the rules, Merlin,' Lancelot argued._

_'We're not breaking the rules. We're bending them, that's all._

'Like the whole magic is forbidden law,' Arthur said drily.

'Exactly why I don't listen to the laws that are wrong and need changed,' grinned Merlin.

_You get your foot in the door. But after that you will be judged on your merit alone. And if you succeed - if they make you a knight - it'll be because you earned it, noble or not. I can't change the way things are done around here, but you can...if you let me help you,' Merlin pleaded._

_Gwen was taking Lancelot's measurements for his armour and clothes, 'thi... er … this is very kind of you, er...' Lancelot awkwardly thanked Gwen._

_'Gwen,' Gwen introduced herself._

_'Gwen?' Lancelot asked._

_'Short for Guinevere,' Gwen elaborated._

_'Ah. Then thank you, Guinevere,' thanked Lancelot._

'He's better at thanking people than Arthur,' grinned Merlin.

_'Don't thank me. Thank Merlin. Merlin would do anything for anyone, wouldn't you, Merlin? Sorry, can you raise your arms? Thank you. Sorry. I think it's great that Merlin's got you this chance. We need men like you,' Gwen told him._

Arthur looked unhappy at this, 'Camelot needs knights like Lancelot.'

_'You do?' Lancelot asked._

_'Well, not me personally, but you know...Camelot. Camelot needs knights. Not just Arthur and his kind, but ordinary people like you and me,' Gwen said._

_'Well, I'm not a knight yet, My Lady,' Lancelot replied._

_'And I'm not a lady,' giggled Gwen._

Arthur shot daggers at Lancelot wondering how much flirting he could take.

'_Sorry, my...' Lancelot apologized._

'You do know she was joking?' Merlin rolled his eyes.

'_Okay, we're done. Erm...I should have these ready in no time. It's nice to meet you Lancelot,' Gwen smiled shaking Lancelot's hand. Lancelot takes her hand and kisses it before leaving with Merlin._

_Merlin and Lancelot walk along the courtyard, 'She seems lovely. Guinevere.'_

_'Oh, yeah. Yeah, she is. And the best seamstress in Camelot, I promise,' Merlin smiled._

_'Are you two...you know…' Lancelot trailed off._

_Merlin laughed, 'No, no. Just friends,' Merlin gives Lancelot a sideways look._

'Friends who have shared a kiss,' said Arthur unhappily.

'It was once,' Gwen said.

'She was just relieved I wasn't dead,' Merlin added.

_On the training ground Merlin and Gwen are fixing Lancelot's armour as Arthur trains his recruits, 'One. Two. Three. Four. One. Two. Three. Four.'_

_'Well...you certainly look the part,' Merlin says._

_'Doesn't he just?' Gwen agrees._

_'I don't feel it,' Lancelot mutters._

_'Okay, that'll do for today. Well done,' Arthur congratulates his knights._

_'Here's your chance. Go for it,' Merlin pushes Lancelot forward._

_Lancelot approaches him as Arthur puts a sword in the rack, 'Yes?' the prince asks._

_'Lancelot, 5th son of Lord Eldred of Northumbria,' Lancelot replies nervously._

_'Lance...a lot? My servant mentioned you. Got your seal?' he asks._

_Arthur has the fake seal presented to him as Lancelot bows, 'Sire.'_

_Arthur smacks Lancelot who falls down._

'_Sluggish reactions. In a battle field you'd be dead by now. Come back when you're ready,' Arthur begins to walk off._

_Lancelot stands up, 'I'm ready now, Sire.'_

_Arthur turns back to Lancelot, 'You are, are you? Fine. You can start by cleaning out the stables.'_

_The onlookers laugh. Lancelot gives Merlin a look who returns it with a thumbs up._

_Back in the physician's chambers Merlin is talking to Gaius, 'I'm sorry about Lancelot. I see you were upset.'_

_'Oh. You know...that's life. You win some, you lose some,' Merlin said casually._

_'You're taking it very well, I have to say. Very mature,' Gaius said proudly._

'Until he realises that you managed to lie my way in,' Lancelot smiled.

_'Thank you, Gaius,' Merlin seemed pleased with Gaius' praise when Lancelot came in covered in horse manure. 'How'd it go?'_

_'Ugh,' Lancelot heads up to Merlin's chambers._

_Gaius gives Merlin a pointed look, 'He found work at the stables,' Merlin lied._

'_I see. And the truth before I lose my temper?' Gaius warned._

_'He's er...trying out for the knights,' Merlin said warily._

_'The First Code of Camelot has never been broken for any man. What've you done, Merlin?' Gaius said furiously._

'_Okay, I bent the rules a little, but the rules are wrong. They're unfair,' said Merlin stoutly._

_'You bent the rules? Using magic?' Gaius looking less impressed bu the moment._

_'It was nothing, honestly. It was more of a trick than actual magic,' Merlin said quickly._

'That makes it so much better,' snorted Arthur.

'Worse if anything,' agreed Gaius.

_'Your magic is not a toy, Merlin. It's not for you to use or abuse as you see fit,' Gaius said sharply._

_'I know. I know,' moaned Merlin._

_'Then why'd you do it?' Gaius asked sharply._

_'I owe Lancelot my life. I am paying for that debt the only way I can by giving him the opportunity he deserves. If you want to punish me for it, go ahead,' Merlin glared at his mentor._

_Arthur and his guards approach Lancelot as he sits sharpening swords. Arthur suddenly chucks a broom at Lancelot who catches it looking at Arthur, 'Not bad,' Arthur gives a compliment._

_Lancelot bows, 'Would you like me to sweep the guardhouse again, Sire?'_

_'It certainly needs sweeping. But first,' Arthur removes the bristles from the end of the brush. 'I'd like you to kill me.'_

'Please don't give anyone an open season on you,' groaned Merlin, 'it's hard enough to protect you as it is.'

_'Sire?' Lancelot asked confused._

_'Come on. Don't pretend you don't want to,' Arthur said as Lancelot broke off his own bristles. 'Hell, if I were you, I'd want to. Come on,' Arthur says and a fight ensues. 'Come on, Lancelot, you're not beating a carpet.' Arthur hits Lancelot in the gut, 'congratulations, Lancelot,' Arthur tosses the stick to Lancelot, 'You just made basic training.' that was when the warning bells went off. Arthur rushed off in their direction._

_Merlin helps an injured woman sit near Gaius in the square where Merlin is helping, 'You're safe now, I promise,' Merlin reassures the woman as Gaius tends another woman. 'How is she?' Merlin asked._

_'Okay,' Gaius responds._

_Lancelot runs into the square himself, 'What happened to these people?'_

_'Their village was attacked by a winged monster,' answers Gaius._

_Merlin and Lancelot share a grim look._

_Uther and Arthur are looking down at the square of refugees, 'I'd hunt this thing down if I could, but I cannot track a creature through the air,' Arthur is telling his father._

_'You don't have to track it. First Greenswood, then Willowdale. The creature's heading south, towards the mouth of the valley,' Uther says._

_'To Camelot,' Arthur understands._

_'You must prepare your knights, Arthur,' Uther tells his son._

_'Have faith, Father. We'll be ready,' Arthur assures his father._

'Thanks to Lancelot,' muttered Arthur.

'Thanks to Merlin,' Lancelot corrected.

Merlin just shrugged.

Arthur was beginning to realise just how many time Merlin had saved Camelot.

_In the physician's chambers Gaius is flipping through a book, 'The wings of an eagle and the body of a lion. The wings of an eagle and the body of a lion,' he repeats._

_Arthur is in the square speaking to his knights, 'The beast is heading for Camelot. It's fast and agile, but big enough to hit and hit hard. Starting today your training routines will concentrate on an attack strategy. We don't have much time. Dismissed,' Arthur orders as Lancelot comes up and bows to the young prince. 'Yes, Lancelot?'_

_'Is there anything I can do, Sire? It's just...I know that in the event of battle, only a knight may serve,' Lancelot pointed out._

Merlin snorted, 'you know how many times I've fought in battles,' he said. 'Illegally, of course.'

'Well none have your power,' Gaius reminded him gently.

Merlin shrugged.

_'That's correct, Lancelot. And you are not yet a knight. Which is why I'm bringing your test forward. You'll face me in the morning,' he told the knight._

_Arthur and Lancelot are in the training grounds the next day both dressed in full armour, 'Well, here we are. Your final challenge. Succeed and you join the elite. Fail and your journey ends here. Lancelot, fifth son of Lord Eldred of Northumbria...' Arthur nods to the timekeeper. 'Your time starts now,' Arthur and Lancelot put on their helmets. The two fight; Lancelot barely misses Arthur._

_Gwen grabs Merlin's shirt as this happens._

'Already liking Arthur,' laughed Gwaine.

'_Oh, sorry,' Gwen says letting go of Merlin's shirt._

_Arthur punches Lancelot who falls back his helmet askew. Arthur puts his sword to the ground removing Lancelot's flag from the post._

'_Shame,' Arthur began but was interrupted._

_Lancelot had rose from the ground sword in hand and knocks Arthur off his feet pointing his sword at him, 'Do you submit, Sire?' Lancelot asked._

_Arthur gets up off his feet as the knights restrain Lancelot. He is looking angrily at the wannabee knight who has just defeated him, 'On your knees!' Arthur says pulling out his sword as the guards restrain Lancelot._

_Lancelot is kneeling in the throne room where Uther has a sword to his chest, 'arise, Sir Lancelot, Knight of Camelot.'_

_The crowd applaud._

_Gwen and Morgana are talking, 'Who is this man? He seems to have come out of nowhere.'_

'Hark who's talking,' muttered Gwen.

'_I know. It's been a bit of a surprise to all of us,' Gwen was looking at Lancelot._

_'You do us a great honour, Sir Lancelot. The knighthood is the very foundation of Camelot,' Uther said._

_'The honour is all mine, Sire,' Lancelot said honestly._

_'Your father would be very proud,' added Uther._

_'Yes, Sire,' Lancelot agreed._

_'I have not seen Lord Eldred for many years. Longer than I'd imagined, it seems. Last time I saw him, he only had four sons,' Uther looked at him suspiciously._

'I'll give it to him he's sharp,' Merlin said.

_'Well...here I am,' Lancelot said uneasily._

_'Indeed you are. And I've kept you too long already. Enjoy the celebrations,' Uther smiled._

_'Sire,' Lancelot bowed._

_Lancelot is greeted by fellow knights who shake him by the hand while a lady of the court is summoned by the king, 'Take this seal to Geoffrey of Monmouth, the Court Genealogist,' he told her watching as the knights and Arthur left. Arthur and Lancelot had their arm around each other, 'I want his opinion by morning,' he told her._

_Arthur and Lancelot are sharing a drink. Gaius stands with Merlin, 'Look at him, Gaius. Does not Lancelot deserve this moment?'_

'Never get into this kind of conversation with Uncle,' groaned Huinith, 'you'll never win.'

_'I never said he didn't. But destiny and desserts are not the same thing. You played God, Merlin. You set him on a path of your choosing. Tonight you brought him triumph, but who knows what the future may hold,' Gaius warned._

_'Yeah, I don't know what it said on your invitation, but on mine it said celebration,' Merlin said impatiently._

'You started the conversation,' Percival said quietly.

_Gaius chuckled, 'point taken. Don't come back too late,' Gaius ordered._

_'Alright,' Merlin grinned._

_Geoffrey of Monmouth is looking over Lord Eldred's pages looking displeased._

_Gwen and Morgana are in the hall whilst Lancelot and Arthur watch them, 'Here's trouble. Tell me, do you think her...beautiful?' Arthur asked._

_Arthur is watching Morgana but Gwen is followed as she stands to talk to Merlin by Lancelot's eyes, 'Yes, Sire. I do.'_

_'Yeah. I suppose she is,' Arthur consented._

_Morgana notices Arthur watching her._

'_You know what? I think our Sir Lancelot might have eyes for you, Gwen,' Merlin grinned._

_'Don't be silly,' Gwen looked embarrassed._

_'What? So what if he did? Would that really be so bad?' Merlin asked._

_Gwen sighed, 'He's not really my type.'_

_'Oh, well, there's a surprise. Sometimes, Guinevere, I wonder if you'd know what your type was if he was standing right next to you,' Merlin said._

_Gwen looks sideways at Merlin, 'You're probably right.'_

_Merlin grabbed a drink from a passing servant, 'So, come on. Just for the sake of argument. If you had to, Arthur or Lancelot.'_

Lancelot and Arthur leaned forward interested. Merlin just rolled his eyes.

_'But I don't have to and I never will,' Gwen stated firmly._

_'Oh, you are no fun, Gwen,' laughed Merlin._

_Arthur pounds the table, 'Ladies and gentlemen, please join me in a toast to our new recruit, our new knight of Camelot, Sir Lancelot.'_

_The crowd applauds; Lancelot and Arthur toast._

_Merlin and Lancelot come out of Merlin's chambers looking completely out of it, 'Argh. Two yards of ale? Two miles, more like it,' complained Lancelot._

_'Good morning, gentlemen,' he hands them two steaming goblets. 'Don't look at it, don't smell it, just down it in one.'_

'Tell me about it,' groaned Arthur.

Gwen laughed, 'those three really can't sing,' she smirked.

'At least I didn't go around telling my secrets,' groaned Merlin.

'Which is why you in particular shouldn't get drunk,' frowned Gaius.

_'Argh,' groaned Lancelot._

'_Better? Good. Can't have you nodding off first day on the job, Lancelot,' Gaius smiled._

_'That's Sir Lancelot, if you don't mind,' laughed Merlin and the other two joined in. The guards then enter, 'What are you doing?' Merlin yells._

_'King's orders,' replies the guard escorting Lancelot out._

'_Stop!' Merlin yells._

_Lancelot is on his knees in the courtroom before Uther, 'Tell him what you told me,' the king orders._

_'These credentials are faked. The seal itself is faultless, forgery of the highest possible standard, but a forgery it must be. There is no record of the fifth son of Lord Eldred of Northumbria. Therefore he...' Geoffrey was interrupted._

_'Lied. Do you deny it?' Uther shot at Lancelot._

_'No, Sire,' Lancelot admitted._

_'You've broken the First Code of Camelot. You've brought shame upon yourself and upon us. You are not worthy of the knighthood bestowed upon you. You never were. And you never will be. Get him out of my sight,' he orders as the guards drag Lancelot away._

'_Sire,' Arthur protested._

_'Do you contest my judgment?' Uther asked._

_'His deception was inexcusable. But he meant no harm, Sire, I'm sure of it. He only wished to serve,' Arthur defended._

_'The First Code is a sacred bond of trust. It is what binds the knights together. How can you trust a man who's lied to you?' Uther asked._

'When they lie for the right reasons,' Arthur said softly looking at Merlin.

'Thank you, Arthur,' smiled Merlin glad that Arthur had accepted him.

_Lancelot is in Camelot dungeons when Merlin visits him, 'I don't know what to say to you, Lancelot.'_

_'You're not to blame,' Lancelot said._

_'Yes, I am. I pushed you. I made you lie,' Merlin retorted._

_'The choice was mine. My punishment is mine to bear, and mine to bear alone,' argued back Lancelot._

_'I wish there was something I could do,' Merlin sighed._

_'There is. You can stop blaming yourself,' Lancelot replied._

_Merlin is back in Gaius' chambers where Merlin is talking to Gaius, 'Merlin?' asked the old man._

_'Whatever you do, don't say, "I told you so,"' sighed Merlin._

_'I have no wish to gloat, Merlin. What's done is done. Here. Come and take a look at this. I realised my mistake. I've been looking for the creature in the wrong place, in the records of all known living things in the kingdom. And then I thought, but what about creatures only recorded in legend? In myth? Then I discovered this,' Gaius showed Merlin the book._

'_That is it. That's the monster,' said Merlin excitedly._

_The warning bells sound. Merlin and Gaius go to the window watching as the people run around screaming in panic as the Griffin sweeps in from over head._

'_On me! On me!' Arthur ordered and his knights surround him. 'Defend!' Arthur ordered as his knights crouch down._

_Lancelot hears the Griffin attack and rushes to the bars of his cell, 'what's happening?' he yells._

_The knights get up and reform the defence pattern with Arthur at its head, 'charge! On me!' Arthur yells. Arthur strikes the Griffin in the chest with the spear which promptly breaks. Arthur falls back until a guard tosses him a flaming torch which Arthur waves at the beast. The creature flies off making annoyed hissing sounds._

_The council, Arthur and Uther are in the council chamber discussing the Griffin's attack, 'You said your knights were the best in the land. You proved that today.'_

_'All I know is it's still out there,' Arthur sounded annoyed by this._

_'Let's not wait for it. The kingdom has been menaced by this creature for too long. We finish this now,' Uther decided._

_'Sire, if I may,' Gaius interrupted._

_'Gaius?' the king questioned._

_'I've been researching this creature, Sire. I believe it to be a griffin,' Gaius informed the council._

_'A griffin? What's in a name?' Uther frowned._

_'The griffin is a creature of magic,' frowned Gaius._

'Like you,' Arthur said.

'You and the rabbits you hunt, and wolves that hunt your animals, and other animals which prey on humans are all creatures not born of magic,' Merlin said, 'but would you say you had much in common with them?'

'Of course not,' Arthur sounded outraged.

'Well how is it any different than the Griffin and I?' asked Merlin.

_'I don't have time for this, physician,' Uther snapped._

_'It is born of magic, Sire, and it can only be killed by magic,' Gaius said._

'Oh,' Arthur's eyes widened, 'Merlin,' was all he said, 'why didn't I see this before?'

'_You are mistaken. It's a creature of flesh and blood like any other. Arthur proved that today,' Uther said proudly._

'_I'm not so sure, Father. I think there may be some truth in what he says,' Arthur said._

_'What truth?' snapped Uther._

_'The griffin was unharmed, Sire. Our weapons seemed useless against it,' Arthur replied._

_'Useless? I think not. No, it's tasted our steel once, the next time will be its last. When will your knights be ready to ride again?' asked Uther._

_'An hour. Maybe two,' Arthur said._

'_Good. We finish this tonight,' Uther told him._

_Gaius and Merlin enter their chambers, 'it true? The griffin can only be killed by magic?' Merlin asked._

_'Yes, Merlin. I'm certain of it. If Arthur rides out against it, he'll die,' Gaius said._

Gwen gulped, 'thank you Merlin,' smiled the once and future queen and queen of Arthur's heart.

_'Then he must be stopped. Uther must see reason,' Merlin said._

'My father and reason aren't on the best of terms,' sighed Arthur sadly, 'its taken many months to realise that it didn't start with Morgana.'

_'Where magic is concerned, our King is blind to reason._

'This is getting seriously creepy,' Merlin said, 'did Gaius and Arthur swap bodies because Arthur keeps repeating Gaius' words.'

_And yet...magic is our only hope,' Gaius said._

_'You're not suggesting...' Merlin understood._

_'It is your destiny, Merlin. The true purpose of your magic,' Gaius said._

'_You saw it, Gaius. I can't go up against that thing,' Merlin sounded scared._

'_But if you do not, then Arthur will surely perish,' Gaius told his ward._

_'No...this is madness. I don't have magic that powerful._ _There must be another way,' Merlin was almost pleading._

_'This is the only way,' Gaius said firmly._

_'Do you even care what happens to me? Oh, just do this, Merlin. Do that, Merlin. Go and kill the griffin, Merlin. I'll just sit here and warm my feet by the fire,' Merlin said angrily._

'Merlin,' Huinith quietly reprimanded, 'he's doing his best.'

'I know I was just scared,' Merlin sighed.

'I know,' Huinith nodded sadly.

'I've never seen you so angry,' Gwen was surprised Merlin was the hardest to anger person she'd ever met snapping like that was just not Merlin.

'I've been angrier,' Merlin growled thinking of Nimueh.

'When?' asked Arthur.

'You don't want to know,' Merlin said darkly and something in his voice made them not want to question him any further.

'_Merlin! Merlin, you are the only thing I care about in all this world. I would give my life for you without a thought. But for what? I cannot save Arthur. It is not my destiny. You know,' Gaius spoke strongly back._

_'I'm sorry,' Merlin apologized._

_'I don't know what else I can say,' sighed Gaius._

_'I'll say it for you. We have two hours to find a way to kill that thing,' Merlin spoke almost confidently._

_Down in the dungeons Lancelot is still in his cell when Arthur enters, 'should've known. How could I have been so stupid? You don't sound like a knight, you don't even look like a knight!' Arthur raged._

_'I'm sorry,' Lancelot apologized._

_'I'm sorry, too. Because, Lancelot, you fight like a knight. And I need...Camelot needs...' Arthur trailed off._

_'The creature?' Lancelot asked._

_'We could not kill it. I've never faced its like,' Arthur said grimly._

_'I faced it myself, Sire. Some days past. I struck if full square. I wondered how it endured,' Lancelot noted._

_'There are those that believe this creature, this...griffin, is a creature of magic, that only magic can destroy it,' sighed Arthur._

'Well that was true,' muttered Lancelot.

_'Do you believe this?' Lancelot asked._

_'It doesn't matter what I believe. The use of magic is not permitted._

Merlin glared at the box.

_The knights must prevail with steel and sinew alone,' sighed Arthur._

_'Sire,' Lancelot asked._

_'There's a horse waiting outside,' Arthur told him._

'That was very good of you,' smiled Gwen.

Merlin didn't say anything but looked on at the black box and real Arthur proudly.

_'Thank you. Thank you, Sire,' Lancelot said._

_'Lancelot, take it and never return to this place,' Arthur ordered the man._

_'No. No, please, I...It's not my freedom I seek. I only wish to serve with honour,' Lancelot exclaimed._

_'I know,' sighed Arthur._

_'Then let me ride with you, Sire,' Lancelot reasoned._

_'I cannot. My father knows nothing of this. I release you myself, but I can do no more. Now go before I change my mind,' Arthur left leaving the cell door open for Lancelot._

_In the physician's chambers Merlin and Gaius are flicking through a book, 'there. You must do this for Arthur,' Gaius showed him the spell._

_'I've never cast a spell of enchantment this powerful,' Merlin looked at the book._

_'Nothing less will kill it. Here,' Gaius hands Merlin a dagger. 'Try. You have it within you. I know you do.'_

'_Bregdan anweald gafeluec,' Merlin said._

'Oh that's what you said,' muttered Lancelot, 'what does it mean?'

'Move the powerful javelin,' Merlin replied.

_When nothing happens Merlin and Gaius look at each other, 'Don't worry, Merlin, we have plenty of time,' Gaius reassured him._

'Only two hours,' Lancelot reminded them.

_At Gwen's house Lancelot knocks on the door and is admitted, 'I'm sorry to disturb you, My Lady.'_

_'Lancelot, what are you doing here?' Gwen seems shocked to see him there._

_'I have no time to explain. I need weapons armour and the best you've got,' Lancelot said quickly._

_'But what's this all about?' Gwen asked._

_'Arthur stands in mortal peril. I must do what I can to protect him. It's my duty. Knight or not,' Lancelot said._

_'You really believe that, don't you?' Gwen said sadly._

'Which is why he makes such a good knight,' smiled Merlin.

'And I don't?' Gwaine pretended to be offended; Merlin just laughed.

_'Yes, My Lady,' Lancelot agreed._

_'Lancelot, I don't believe I've ever met your like before,' Gwen looked at Lancelot._

_'Guinevere, if I should not return...' Lancelot began._

_'Don't go, Lancelot. Please,' Gwen begged._

_'But go I must,' Lancelot told her._

_Gwen nods._

_Arthur marches in front of a row of his knight dressed in full battle armour, 'it's time,' Arthur said and the knights follow him out._

_Merlin is still trying the spell in Gaius' chambers, 'Don't worry, Merlin. I know you're trying,' Gaius continues to encourage Merlin._

_'And I'm failing. And if Arthur dies because I'm not good enough...' Merlin stresses._

'It wouldn't be your fault,' Arthur said.

_'Merlin!' Gaius stops him._

_Gwen rushes in, 'Merlin! Lancelot's riding out to kill the griffin!'_

_'He's what?' Merlin rushes out._

'_Merlin?' Gaius calls out._

_In the lower town Lancelot is saddling up his horse when Merlin runs up to him, 'I'm coming with you.'_

_'No, you're not,' Lancelot told him._

_'Just try and stop me,' Merlin retorted._

_'Merlin, you're not a soldier,' Lancelot reminded him._

'Nah,' Merlin laughed, 'I'm a warlock.'

_'You said it yourself, Lancelot, Arthur needs all the help he can get. Now let's go,' Merlin decided._

'That was a side of Merlin I'd never seen,' murmured Lancelot, 'gone was the happy go lucky boy.'

_The knights approach the Griffin; Arthur draws his sword, 'For Camelot!' he shouts._

_The knights too draw their swords, 'For Camelot!' the echo the prince's words._

_Merlin and Lancelot reach the scene of the battle. They can hear the men dying and the hissing of the Griffin; they dismount. Merlin runs to the body of Arthur, 'Arthur,' Merlin checks his prince's pulse._

'_Well?' Lancelot asked._

'_He's alive,' Merlin said. Lancelot pulled down his visor and rides to greet the Griffin with his lance out, 'Okay, Merlin, it's now or never.'_

'I always knew you were mad,' laughs Arthur, 'but talking to yourself?'

Merlin just grinned.

_Lancelot rears up on his horse._

'_Bregdan anweald gafeluec,' Merlin's spell (yet again) does not work. Lancelot charges, 'bregdan anweald gafeluec,' Merlin repeats. Lancelot passes him, 'bregdan anweald gafeluec.' The griffin charges, 'bregdan anweald gafeluec,' Merlin says again. This time the lance flames with bright blue flames, Lancelot hits the Griffin which dies and the magic glow disappears in a second, 'yes,' Merlin celebrates._

_Lancelot removes his helmet as Arthur awakes, 'Lancelot,' Arthur asks._

'_Sire,' Lancelot responds._

_'You did it. You killed it, Lancelot!' Arthur looks relieved._

_Merlin bursts into Gaius' chambers, 'you did it?'_

_'I did it,' grinned Merlin._

_Merlin and Gaius hug, 'Thank God!' Gaius says._

_Arthur enters the council chambers where Uther is sitting, 'You did it, my son. You did it.'_

_'Not I, Father. It was Lancelot,' Arthur said proudly as Lancelot enters behind the prince._

'_What's he doing here?' Uther looked angry._

_'Father, I can explain,' Arthur said quickly._

_'You! Wait outside,' Uther orders and Lancelot quickly exits._

'_You had no right to...!' Uther begins but the doors are closed blocking out all sound._

_Merlin rounds to corner, 'What are they doing?' he asked._

_'Deciding my fate,' Lancelot replies._

'Melodramatic much Lance,' laughed Gwaine.

_Back in the council chambers Uther and Arthur argue, 'I confess it, Sire. I released him and I'll take the consequences. But surely Lancelot's actions change things?'_

_'His actions change nothing. He broke the code!' Uther retorted._

_'He laid down his life for me! He served with honour,' Arthur argued back._

'The Once and Future King,' muttered Merlin.

_'I see you feel strongly about this, Arthur. Under the circumstances? A pardon, perhaps,' Uther relented slightly._

_'No, not good enough, Father. You must restore Lancelot to his rightful place, as a knight of Camelot,' Arthur stated._

_'Never. The law is the law. The Code bends for no man,' Uther told him._

_'Then the code is wrong!' Arthur all but shouted._

'Hear, hear,' Gwaine shouted.

_Outside the council chamber Lancelot and Merlin are talking, 'They'll restore your knighthood, of course they will. You killed the griffin.'_

_'But I didn't kill the griffin,' a Lancelot walk slightly away from the guards so they cannot hear what he is saying, 'you did.'_

_'That's ridiculous,' Merlin said awkwardly._

_'"Bregdan anweald "' Lancelot repeats the magic words,_ _'...I heard you. I saw you,' Lancelot says. Merlin looks at Lancelot worried, 'Don't worry, your secret's safe with me,' Lancelot reassures the warlock. 'But I cannot take the credit for what I did not do. There'll be no more lies, no more deceit.'_

_'What are you going to do?' Merlin asked._

_'The only thing I can do,' Lancelot re-enters the council chambers._

'_What is this?' Uther demands._

_The guards restrain Lancelot, 'Let me speak!'_

_'Wait! I'll hear him,' Uther stopped the guards._

_The guards release Lancelot, 'Forgive me, Sire. I've come to bid you farewell.'_

'I understand why you left now,' Arthur said, 'I'd do the same.'

_'What is this, Lancelot?' Arthur demanded._

_'I lied to you both and now there is conflict between you. I cannot bear that burden, as you should not bear mine. I must start again, far from here. Then maybe one day fate shall grant me another chance to prove myself a worthy knight of Camelot,' Lancelot said._

_'But...Lancelot, you've...already proved that to us,' Arthur told him._

'_But I must prove it to myself. Your Highness,' Lancelot bows to Uther. 'Prince Arthur,' Lancelot bowed to Arthur before backing out of the room. Arthur looks crestfallen._

_Gwen stares out of the window watching Lancelot leave._

Arthur glowered looking jealously at Lancelot.

'_Gwen? Guinevere? Lancelot?' questioned Morgana._

_'Oh. Yes,' Gwen said not paying much attention to Morgana._

_'Come, Gwen. We've a busy day ahead,' Morgana tried to distract Gwen._

_'Yes, My Lady,' Gwen looked away from the window._

_Lancelot is riding off as Gaius and Merlin watch him leave, 'Perhaps you were right, Gaius. Perhaps I should have never got involved.'_

_'No Merlin, I was wrong. Lancelot needed you and you needed Lancelot. Your destinies were entwined,' Gaius admitted._

_'Will he ever return?' Merlin asked._

_'That I cannot say,' Gaius sighed._

_'Till next time then, Sir Lancelot,' Merlin smiled._


End file.
